Can I Keep Him
by werewolfbleu
Summary: "Can I keep him?" Nina is used to hearing her baby brother ask this question on a daily basis. Bringing home pets is what kids do. But when said 'pet' is a mutant lovechild of a Klingon and Cthulhu what's a protective Southern gal to do?... Grab the nearest blunt instrument! Yautja/human pair/ polyandry romance/ Now includes the second arc: Nina Look an Alien! /humor/susp/vio/OOC
1. Chapter 1

**Can I Keep Him**

"Can I keep him, sis?"

A groan slipped from me as I yanked myself up from the table and away from the mountain of bills littering it. My kid brother, Danny stood in the kitchen entrance, green eyes shining with hope as he beckoned me into the living room. Such a boy. Every day Danny heads out into the woods behind our home with his best friend TicTac, the albino ferret currently perched on his shoulder and every day he returns with a stray.

His exuberance was infectious and I smiled fondly at him, even though there was no way in hell we could afford to feed another one of his pets. It's not that Danny didn't understand our situation, he did to a degree but I skirted the truth, allowing him to just be a kid and not worry about adult things. I'd let him show me whatever critter he brought home and eventually find a way to rehome it with Danny thinking it was his idea. "What's it this time soot sprite?"

I crouched next to him, licked my thumb and laughed as he squirmed away while I wiped some of the dirt and weird fluorescent green goo from his face.

 _What the heck is this stuff?_

Who knows. Danny never came home clean and since we were both die hard fans of movies such as _Spirited Away_ and _My Neighbor Totoro_ , anything by Studio Ghibli really, I started calling him soot sprite and he referred to me _lovingly_ as Mononoke. The little shit. Yeah, I could be a monster but only when he brought home critters like baby gators or once a six-foot-long boa constrictor.

"Did you find _Howl_ or _Totoro_?"

He frowned, face scrunching cutely in annoyance and said in a very serious tone, "Nina, I know they're not real."

I chuckled and ruffled his dark red locks as I stood. He used to think they were real. In fact, that's how he got over his fear of the woods and started going on adventures that often lasted most of the day. Sometimes I wished he'd be a little less bold, though. The boy lacked a sense of self-preservation. He was fearless for an eight-year-old just shy of four feet. A little short for his age but of course this never dissuaded him in any way, shape or form. If Danny told me he'd make it to the moon and get back in time for dinner I believed him.

I raised a brow, "This better not be another possum, Danny." He took my hand and tugged me along, ignoring me as he did so. "I'm serious Danny that last one- what was its name, _Kiki_ ripped up the house and I still have a scar on my ass from where the bitch bit me..."

Words failed me, my eyes widened as they lighted upon the _critter_ that stood hunched over in the doorway between the front yard and the living room. The thing was the size of a grizzly, hairless with a bulky muscular build that rippled under taut mottled skin. Metal plating of what I assumed were pieces of armor scarcely covered him, along with a weird netting that kinda looked like he might've stolen it from a hooker. You know if hookers wore armor. Its breaths were heavy and ragged, sounding strangled from behind the strange metal helmet it wore. Its head jerked up at the same time I grabbed my kid brother and yanked him behind me.

"Nina wait-"

"Stay behind me Danny!"

The creature growled as my gaze met it's through the black slits in the helmet. I couldn't see its eyes, not really but I knew they were staring straight at me. I gulped and started pushing my brother back towards the kitchen. My eyes flicked to the shotgun on the shelf above the tv. The creature saw this and growled, the sound sending a tremor of fear down my spine. It took a step and almost buckled and I realized the thing was hurt. It bled a green fluorescent color, the same stuff I'd wiped off of Danny's face. The momma bear woke up inside me and the fear was replaced by a volcanic rage. This creature whatever it was had touched my baby brother.

I shoved Danny back into the kitchen without taking my eyes off the creature. Danny yelped and I glanced back at him just for a brief second taking my eyes off the thing in the living room. The world spun as suddenly I found myself gasping for air as something heavy collided with my chest and sent me sailing. My back hit the table and the damn thing toppled over with a loud clatter and papers went flying.

"No don't hurt her! She's my sister!"

I blinked and saw the creature look from Danny to me. The thing had moved damn fast but it had cost him to do so.

"Get away from my brother!" I roared. Streaking across the room like a rabbit on PCP, grabbed a frying pan, ducked as he swung an arm out and brained him with the pan using all of my 130lbs behind it. The creature made a strangled roar but fell face first to the floor with the grace of a bag of rocks. I didn't waste any time. Just scooped up my flailing brother, jumped over the hopefully dead creature and ran out the front door.

"Lemme go, sis! He wasn't going to hurt me-"

"Danny!" I dropped to my knees on the rotting wood porch and pulled him into my arms. "What the hell were you thinking?!" I held him out at arms length, this went beyond fearless.

He scowled, lips jutting out in a pout. "He's my pet and you killed him!"

I rolled my eyes and took in a shaky breath. "Yeah, that was kind of my intention there Danny."

The fluorescent green pool of blood beneath my feet caught my attention and I followed the path with my eyes down the porch steps through the grass until I lost sight of the trail in the dense brush. The creature had been hurt pretty bad apparently.

"Neens, he saved me. Bad guys don't save people."

My eyes snapped back to Danny's, "What?!"

Danny looked down at his _Avengers_ T-shirt and pointed at _Thor_. "He came from up there-" His finger pointed to the sky. "-and he killed the bad guy."

While part of me found it hilarious that he compared the Norse God of Thunder to the mutant lovechild of a Klingon and Cthulhu sprawled out on my kitchen floor the other part of me suddenly felt terrified I might've just killed someone or _thing_ who saved my brother.

"What are you talking about soot sprite?" I asked, more concerned with his well-being than the actual explanation. With a critical eye, I spun him slowly, checking for any injuries as he prattled on.

"There was this big bug thing Nina! You should've seen it! It was so cool!"

"Uh-huh," I muttered absently, scowling at the identical scrapes on both his forearms, dirty and bloody. The kind of scrape I might've found had he fallen off a bike onto gravel. Danny didn't have a bike and the only road in and out of here was dirt for a good two miles.

"... it had me wrapped in its tail then _Pakkun_ fell from the sky and hit the bug thing with lightning!"

"Wait. Wait. Lightning?" If my eyes got any wider they'd pop right out of my head. I gave a wary glance back through the door and stared at the creature still lying facedown on the floor.

 _My, my, my grandma what big, clawed feet you have!_

My brows furrowed and I met my brother's green orbs, which were staring at me as though I really had killed his pet.

"What bug thing?" We had some really nasty critters in Southern Louisiana and no shortage of beastly legends but this didn't sound like a loup-garou. "Did it hurt you?"

He shook his head, "Pakkun saved me, Neens."

"Pakkun? As in the pug dog from _Naruto_?"

He nodded and wiped his nose, green eyes shimmering with angry tears. Christ on a cracker he named that thing? Whatever that thing was it did not look like the little anime pug dog.

"Danny-"

He pulled away from me and crossed his arms over his chest. "Pakkun wasn't going to hurt me!"

I sighed, eyeing the frying pan still in my hand and grimacing at the imprint of the creatures helmet thingy. If he wasn't dead then he'd have a bitch of a headache when he came to.

"Stay outside and I'll go check on him okay?"

He perked up a little bit at that and nodded. I ruffled his hair before walking back inside, careful not to slip in the freaking dayglo green blood. I traded the frying pan for the shotgun and edged closer, heart pounding like a jackhammer. Tentatively I kicked the creature's leg and jump back. It didn't move. Didn't even twitch. No reaction.

 _Crap I killed it._

"Is Pakkun alri-"

"Christ!" I almost jumped out of my skin as my brother appeared behind me. "Danny what part of stay outside did you not understand?!"

"All of it," he said, ducking under my arm to crouch over the body.

Taking a deep breath, I ran a hand down my face in misery. How the hell was I gonna explain this to the Sheriff?

"He's alive!"

"What?!" I wrapped an arm around my brother and hauled him back against me. TicTac made a squeak of surprise at being jerked around so much and scrambled down the front of Danny's shirt. "How can you tell?"

Danny pointed at the creatures back. "Because he's still breathing, duh."

As if on cue the creatures back rose and fell, the faintest of the breaths. Surprisingly Danny noticed before I had, however, my eyes were focused on the things claws, waiting for the subtlest of twitches. Hate to see how fast this thing can move when angry or be on the receiving end of said anger. My chest hurt with each breath and I imagined a stellar bruise forming. Now that I thought about it why had the creature gone after me? Was he or it or whatever trying to protect Danny? And there again when I came after him with a frying pan. Had he been about to strike or had he put his arm up thinking I'd hurt Danny by accident?

I stared at the unconscious creature, lowering the shotgun.

"He's bleeding."

"Huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts and found Danny poking a deep ragged wound in the creature's side. Dayglo green blood oozed out, spreading across the tile at an alarming rate. "Damn."

I fished the smartphone out of my back pocket and slid a finger over the cracked screen to unlock it. Who do you call in this type of situation? The Sheriff? Animal control? Hell, the _Men in Black_?!

"Nina, what're you doin'?"

"Calling for help-"

"No! You can't?!"

"Why?"

"Because he came from outer space Nina! You know what they'll do if the government gets their hands on him?"

I scowled, "Seriously no more _SyFy_ channel, Danny. Beside's he's bleeding out all over the floor! And I don't want this thing to die on-"

"He's an alien, Neens, not a _thing_. And _he's_ my friend. Sheriff Watkins won't help him. He'll just shoot him the same way he shot Kiki."

"Your possum bit me on the ass! I had to have a rabies shot in the butt right after!"

"You scared Kiki that's why she attacked! You probably scared Pakkun too!"

"Possums don't act like that unless they're rabid and I highly doubt this _alien_ was afraid of me either!"

We were in each other's faces, both baring our teeth. I could continue to argue but gave up in defeat when fat tears streaked down the side of his reddened cheeks.

"Fine I won't call the Sheriff but we have to call somebody."

He was already vehemently shaking his head. "Alien, sis. The people in these parts would all shoot first and not give a ripe shit later."

"Watch your language!"

He rolled his eyes.

"Then what pray tell do you expect me to do? I'm not a doctor-" My eyes roved over the aliens dark scaly hide. "-or a vet."

"You know CPR?"

I gritted my teeth. "He's breathing, Danny."

He scowled, lip jutting out again. "You stitched up my lip after Chad Watkins beat me up."

My shoulders stiffened and my eyes automatically snapped to the thin scar above Danny's lip at the mention of the little asstard. Four years older than Danny, the freaking brat should've got his ass handed to him for picking on a kid half his size but of course, he was the Sheriff's son and got away with just about anything. Snot-nose brat. I'd send him a card when they finally tossed his ass into juvie.

I eyed the six or seven-inch long wound in the creature's side and grimaced. If he had any internal damage well then he was shit out of luck. "You say this thing- er sorry this alien saved your life?"

Danny nodded emphatically.

Blowing out a breath I swept my short chestnut-red hair aside, wishing it were long enough to throw up in a ponytail but bobby pins worked fine too. It's hot in the South, so the style here is everything short. Short hair. Short shorts. Short tempers, etc.

I leaned the shotgun against the door frame. "Alright help me turn him over."

Together we heaved and learned very quickly that this alien weighed a ton. Maybe not as heavy as a male gator but damn close. Both of us together could barely lift the weight of his arm as we tried to pull instead but no dice.

"Swell," I growled. "Danny, go fetch a bowl..." I eyed the wound again and amended, "A bucket of hot water and towels. The ugly yellow ones. Also the antiseptic and medkit are under the kitchen sink."

I yanked off my _Grateful Dead_ T-shirt and tossed it on the stairs, leaving me clad in a black sports bra that had pink skulls printed on it and _Dri-FIT_ black shorts. Louisiana. Hot. Enough said.

The dog tags around my neck clicked and jingled as I crouched over the thing to get a better look. I tucked the dog tags down the bra to keep them from dragging through the radioactive-looking green blood.

Danny brought the supplies and after cleaning the wound I ran into a different problem. The alien had a seriously thick hide! Leathery but the kind that's well-maintained and smooth but somehow rough at the same time. Shoe and bag designers everywhere would foam at the mouth and pay big bucks for his skin.

 _Hmmm._ Surreptitiously I eyed the bills scattered all over the floor but the moment I saw my brothers face I tossed the idea. _Damn. You better not try and eat us, ugly or I will seriously sell you to the highest bidder!_

After I bent the third needle I threw up my hands in frustration and leveled a determined look on my brother. A mere needle and thread weren't gonna do the trick. I'd have to Franken Stein this bitch. "Get the fishing supplies and duct tape."

I sanitized the mammoth sized hook and line then got back to work and by the time I was done my fingertips were raw and sore but I'd closed the wound. Looked ugly as hell but the damn thing was closed! The alien had another wound on his back so I had to remove some of his weird armor. Easier said than done but eventually I got the shoulder rig off and some of the netting which I found was actually a thin metal mesh. Whatever this thing was it came either prepared to hunt or defend itself from being hunted considering some the hardware strapped to its back. I unclipped a strange short staff thingy with blades longer than my forearm at each end and a whip attached at his hip that was segmented and really fucking sharp.

When I was done, Danny helped me clean up before I sent the soot sprite upstairs to take a shower.

"You won't call anyone right?" He asked, peeking back around the corner of the stairs and regarding me with heavy suspicion.

"So long as he doesn't wake up and attack me," I said honestly.

Danny's lips thinned, "Don't be such a mononoke and maybe he won't!"

My eyes narrowed to slits, "Shower soot sprite or I'll show you a mononoke."

He stuck out his tongue then darted up the stairs with a yelp as I made a grab for him. I laughed as the bathroom door slammed and sat on the bottom step, putting me within touching distance of the alien. Our house was small so everything was really close together. The stairway was directly adjacent to the open kitchen entrance. So as I sat there I could occasionally poke the alien with a toe to see if he would respond. He didn't. Out cold. Hell for all I know the alien was in a coma but there wasn't a whole lot I could do about that.

After the initial shock wore off I could think more clearly. If I reported my brother dragged an alien home no one would believe me and I'd become the butt of every joke in the parish. And even if someone believed me and drove out here, what then?

"Pain in my ass," I growled at the unconscious alien. "Where the heck did you come from? And why here of all places?"

No response. Not that I thought I'd get one but I was angry and needed someone to yell at.

Sighing, I got to my feet, stepped over our new big-lumpy rug and yanked a beer from the fridge. If this alien really saved Danny then I owed him a debt. For now, we would keep him here. It's not as if anyone ever dropped by so he was relatively safe from further discovery. But then what about the bug thing? Were there more of them? Hell were there more aliens like the one on my floor?!

I eyed the alien, watched as his back rose and fell. Was it just me or did he seem to be breathing better?

Taking a long pull from the beer, I made my way through the kitchen and straightened the table. Attempting to occupy my mind with mundane things because the alien in my kitchen was seriously wigging me out.

 _What the heck am I suppose to do if the alien dies?_

I drew the bottle to my lips. Hesitated. Eyes widening at an equally terrifying thought.

 _What if he wakes up?..._

...

"Seriously soot sprite next time if it doesn't look like _E.T._ don't bring it home."

Together on the pullout sofa, we watched _The Iron Giant_ , after some incessant whining on my brothers part. It's a great movie. A classic but at the moment I was too hyper aware of the alien on the floor to appreciate the sound of Vin Diesel's voice.

" _E.T.'s_ overrated-" He popped a piece of popcorn into his mouth and crunched. "- _Flight of the Navigator_ was better."

Danny's head was cradled against my thigh, sprawled out on the sheets while I sat straight up with the shotgun laying against my other thigh. Carelessly he munched away on popcorn without the slightest worry. Wish I could be so at ease. My eyes kept drifting down to the floor, shoulders tensing at every sound.

"Movie's over."

"Huh?" I tore my eyes off the creatures burly back, unaware of the way I'd been watching the dark play across his skin. The credits were rolling on the screen and Danny looked up at me.

"Wanna watch _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_?" He said with a cheeky smile, apparently finding my discomfort funny. The little shit.

"No. Go to bed."

He rolled up onto his knees and crossed his arms over his chest with a stubborn expression. "It's summer, Neens."

 _God don't remind me!_ I didn't know if I could handle him having so much free time. Especially if he was gonna keep bringing home freaking hairless, armor wearing Yeti's!

"It's also after twelve," I said after a quick glance at my phone.

Danny looked at the alien then back at me. "What about you?"

I leaned into the back of the couch and propped the gun up on my leg. "You think I'm sleeping with that thing around?"

"Alien."

"Whatever."

"And his name is Pakkun."

"Does he know that?"

"No, but when I started calling him Pakkun all he did was make these weird clicking noises at me."

I raised a brow, "Clicking?"

Danny shrugged, "I doubt he speaks ooman."

"What?"

Again he shrugged as if none of this was a big deal, just another normal day. "That's what he called me. I think."

My brows furrowed, "Just how much time did you spend with this thi- Pakkun?"

He smiled, "Enough to know he makes your ex-boyfriend, Adam look like a swamp rat."

That got my attention. Adam was a bouncer and an underground fighter with plenty of wins to back up his over inflated ego. Standing at six and a half feet the guy was easily the tallest local and had the body of Rambo. Scary guy. Really scary.

"Nina?"

"Hm."

"He won't hurt us." His eyes flicked to the gun. "Well, he might if you shoot him." He scowled, "Don't shoot him."

I snorted and gave his shoulder a playful shove. "Bed. Now."

He sighed, the mattress creaked and groaned as he rolled off. "Promise?"

"Fine," I said with a heavy sigh. "As long as he doesn't-"

"He won't."

"And how do you know that?"

He started up the stairs. Stopped and turned to me with a smile, "Good guy, Neens. He's like _Thor_!"

If I remembered correctly a lot of innocent people died in those movies when _Thor_ and the rest of the _Avengers_ got involved. True they saved the world or whatever but there had still been a lot of collateral damage and my baby brother was not collateral damage.

However looking at my Danny's face I couldn't shine an ugly light on his hero's. Pakkun somehow managed to become one of those hero's so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. For now.

I leaned over and propped the shotgun up beside the couch so that it was still in arms reach but no longer in my hands. Danny's face lit up and he ran back over and I giggled as he hugged me and gave me a big wet kiss on the cheek.

"Best sis, ever!"

"Uh-huh, and don't you forget it. Now go."

He smiled, then ran up the stairs and out of sight. Once he was gone my own smile slipped from my face as I eyed the shadow-draped figure on the floor.

 _Please don't make me regret this..._

* * *

 **A/N:** **Hi. Hi.** **So this story came to me randomly the other day. Something meant to be humorous and not too serious. It takes my mind off of Deadly Curiosities when I've got writers block. Bit of a crackfic this one. Not sure how it will develop as of yet but who knows. Hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter.**

 **P.S. Sorry for any mistakes. Also, _Deadly Curiosities_ is still my main focus so this story may not update as often but I hope to update once a week with it as well. _Can I Keep Him_ relates to nothing in my other story other than the obvious use of the Predators and Aliens. Also possible OC on the part of the predator. **

**Disclaimer: (still have no idea if I need to write one of these) I do not own anything from the Alien or Predator franchise but holy shit if I did I'd be offering some of the authors on this site movie deals for their stories!**

 **Review and tell me your thoughts. Pretty, pretty please :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**He Better Be House Broken**

"When's he gonna wake up?"

"I dunno," I muttered, watching Danny poke Pakkun's massive shoulder as I grabbed the chocolate milk from the fridge. Coffee always made me pee like a racehorse and tea just tasted weird. In the sink, I rinsed out the big Totoro mug and filled it before collapsing into a chair in front of the messy pile of bills. After the death of our father, who died in Iraq when I was sixteen, our mother bailed taking the death gratuity the Army pays to the next of kin when a soldier dies on active duty with her. So I'd dropped out of high school to raise Danny on my own and by the time the state figured out my mom went awol I was already old enough to take custody of my brother, along with all the expenses. For four years it's just been Danny and me, no one else. Difficult as hell but I wasn't gonna let anyone separate us.

"Make bacon."

I eyed Danny over the rim of the mug. He was still crouched next to the alien, touching the weird black and dreadlock-like appendages around its head. Hair maybe but those things looked fleshy.

"Why?" I asked, curiously.

His big green orbs met mine, "Maybe the smell will wake him up the way it used to wake up dad."

 _How the hell can he possibly remember that?_

"Or maybe he'll smell the bacon. Wake up. And eat you."

Danny rolled his eyes and I chuckled. "Eat some breakfast, soot sprite."

He came over to the table, grabbed my mug of chocolate milk and took a big gulp.

"No _please_ help yourself," I said sarcastically.

He came up for air and smiled with a chocolate mustache. "Any work today?"

I blew out a breath, "No but even if I did do you really think I'm gonna leave you alone with Pakkun over there?"

He scowled, "Nina how many times do I have to tell you. He won't-"

"Maybe I'm worried about _him_. Remember Flash, your goldfish? Except we won't be able to flush Pakkun."

"That won't happen to Pakkun. He's tougher than Flash or even crazy old McAlister's rotty."

Frank McAlister was our closest neighbor about half a mile up the main road with the ugliest and meanest Rottweiler I've ever met. Thinking about the mangy mutt brought up another terrifying thought.

"He better be house broken," I warned, horrified at the sudden and vile notion. Danny's pets, especially TicTac, enjoyed shitting in corners and there was no way in hell I was gonna clean up alien crap!

"I'll teach him to use the toilet."

My brow arched skeptically, "With what? Ferret treats? Bacon?"

"We still have the training potty from when I was a baby."

The image of that giant alien trying to squat over a training toilet sent me into a fit of laughter, earning an angry pout from my brother. I poked his puffed out cheeks teasingly and he swatted at my hands.

"Your such a mononoke, Nina!"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I bit back another laugh at the expression on Danny's face. "Okay, I'm done."

His face softened. Danny took another sip from my mug before heading over to the fridge. The mug was nearly empty, so I pushed it aside with a sigh. "Grab me a Mountain Dew, Danny."

Ah, the breakfast of champions, heart-stopping amounts of caffeine and sugar. But I would need it in order to get through the day on no sleep. I drifted a few times last night but no more than ten minutes at a time and every time I woke it was with a rush of adrenaline, thinking the alien had woken. He hadn't. Still out cold. Must be nice.

Danny brought me the Dew then sat across from me with a bowl of sugar coated cereal. Great. I'd have to deal with a hyper Danny on top everything else. Normally I'd send him off on one of his adventures but after yesterday? No way in hell.

A gurgly growl had me on my feet with the shotgun in my hands so fast the chair clattered to the ground a second after. Eyes narrowed, I held the gun steady, aiming at the alien who hadn't moved. Over the roar of blood in my ears, I heard the sound of a horn and my brother yelling at me to calm down.

I lowered the gun and looked at Danny.

"It's just Ian's old tow truck."

"Right." I blew out a breath and let the gun hang loosely at my side. "Ian. Shit, what's today?"

"Monday."

"Nuts. I completely forgot. Danny, get a blanket and cover Pakkun."

Ian doesn't come in the house. Ever. That's part of the deal. But I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Our washer and dryer are hooked up right in the kitchen and I dug through the overflowing dirty basket for a shirt. Found my favorite, _Nama-stay in Bed_ T-shirt and started to slip the silky gray fabric on than thought better of it and yanked on a dirty tank instead.

"Danny grab your shoes."

"Why?"

I stuffed my feet into a pair of black boots. "Because you're not staying inside _alone_ with Pakkun."

Danny's face scrunched up, "But Ian always smells funny and besides what happens if Pakkun wakes up?"

 _Hopefully, he'll walk out the front door and out of our lives._ I rolled my eyes at myself. Right, who was I kidding? If that thing followed Danny here then there's an equally good chance he wouldn't just simply walk the fuck away. Especially considering how much my brother and I knew. Hell, maybe he's the Jane Goodall of his species here to study us. _Not_. Not with those weapons. He was here for something else and thanks to Danny we might be already neck deep in it.

 _Shit._

"Can I at least swim while you guys work?"

I glanced at Danny and nodded. We had a small above ground pool, mostly held together by ducktape and a prayer, on the side of the house. There was a direct line of sight between the pool and the shed where I'd be working for the next several hours. Meaning, I could keep an eye on him and the house.

Sweat budded along my spine and the back of my neck from the time it took for me to walk across the front yard to the shed. I did not look forward to this one bit but our property is big and so is the tax. Being a high school drop out and taking care of Danny all by myself made finding work real difficult. Especially when Danny was on summer vacation. To keep our heads above water and food on the table I've resorted to things I'm definitely not proud of. Nothing like drug dealing or prostitution but bad enough that my daddy, god rest his soul, would've tanned my hide for.

Ian had already opened the large shed and had nestled a BMW sports sedan inside. A pothead and a bit of schmuck, Ian provided me with a few _jobs_ every summer. My daddy had been a gear head in his spare time and taught me enough to get by though Ian rarely brought me cars that actually needed fixn'.

"It's clean. Vin, tags, and the LoJack have all been taken' care of," Ian said, voice raspy from years of cigarettes. He came around from the other side, hands in his pockets and an easy grin on his face as he looked me up and down. "Damn Neens. Do you just roll out of bed sexy?"

The cherry end of the cigarette in his mouth burned hot as he took a drag, the smoke curling out of his nose a second later. Ian was tall and thin as a stick with a mop of brown hair that likely hadn't seen a brush for the better part of a decade. He'd probably been handsome at one time or another but the booze, and the drugs, and the serious lack of hygiene took its toll. However despite all that he was a good guy and always had a way of making people smile.

I smirked, "Uh-huh and how many women have you said that to this morning?"

His lazy grin widened, "Just you darlin'."

I snorted, "Bullshit."

He snickered, blowing out a puff of smoke. "True."

My eyes traveled over the length of the sleek black vehicle, envy jabbing at me. Owning a car like this only lived in my fantasies. Ian had a buddy in New Orleans who sent him the cars, then we stripped them, and Ian hauled off everything important while the not so important parts baked under the sun on the side of the house. We already had a decent sized vehicular graveyard, thanks to my daddy's years of tinkering, so it was easy to hide any leftovers there. "You sticking around to help this time?"

He shrugged, "For a few hours." Ian gave the BMW a sidelong look. "It's a little bigger than the GT we stripped last month. I can bring my truck and the trailer in a couple of days to pick up the parts."

"Works for me," I said, holding my hand out expectantly.

The lazy smile grew amused as he sauntered over and handed me the cash. "Still, don't trust me even after all this time?"

I counted the money then grabbed an old jar from a shelf, stuffed the bills in it and set it aside. "Would you?"

"Nope," he said, with the same lazy smile.

From the pocket of my shorts, I pulled out a couple bobby pins and pinned the hair back from my face, grabbed gloves from a work bench and tugged them on. My eyes traveled passed the tow truck and spotted Danny splashing around happily in the pool with a water gun. I hated doing this kind of work. If it went belly up and I got arrested Danny would be the one who really suffered. I planned on getting my GED and figuring out a way to take online classes so that one day I wouldn't have to risk so much but for now, this worked. "Let's get this done."

...

"It's hot Nina." Danny whined, sitting on top of the work bench and following me with his eyes. Ian had already left a few hours ago and the sun was already close to setting. I'd only been back in the house once to make my brother and I lunch. The alien still where we'd left him on the floor and amazingly still breathing. If he hadn't died yet then he probably wasn't gonna.

"You hungry?" I asked, wiping my hands on an old rag.

He nodded emphatically, "Can we have pizza?"

"Sounds good to me." I tossed the rag, grabbed the money out of the jar and pocketed it before helping Danny off the bench.

Back in the house I stripped down to bra and undies, threw the dirty, sweat-soaked clothes on top of the ever-growing mountain and ran up the stairs for a quick shower. After getting cleaned up and dressed for bed in an oversized white T-shirt with a zombie pinup girl on the front I headed back downstairs to the smell of red sauce and melted cheese. Side-stepping Pakkun I found Danny in the kitchen staring at the pizza through the view window on the oven.

"Set the oven temp right this time?" I asked, grabbing a ginger ale for Danny and a beer for me from the fridge.

"Yup." He straightened, looked up at me then glanced down at Pakkun his expression pinched with worry when he turned back to me. "Is he gonna wake up?"

I studied the big alien, watching the way his back rose and fell, rose and fell. He was definitely breathing better which made me worry for a completely different reason than my brother.

"I think so, Danny." My eyes roved over the aliens mottled skin, the perfect camouflage of dark forest greens, black, grays and even some white along the inside of his arms and legs. His coloring reminded me of a diamondback's, pretty to look at but gave a clear warning to back-the-fuck-off.

"Nina?"

"Hm?"

"Pizzas burning."

"Shit," I tore my eyes from the alien and focused on saving our dinner.

...

"We just watched _The Iron Giant_." I moaned, rubbing my full belly and wishing I hadn't been such a piggy.

"But it's awesome!"

"No argument there but we just watched it. You've got plenty to choose from. How about the _Expendables_?"

He gave me a narrow-eyed look and I smiled innocently. "You drool too much during that movie."

I stuck out my tongue, "You're just too young to understand. Give it another year or two and you'll seriously only be watching the Avengers to get an eye full of the Black Widow."

His face screwed up, "Black Widow's cool but the Scarlet Witch is prettier."

My brow raised in surprise. When the heck had he started thinking of _Marvel_ girls as pretty instead of just cool?

"How 'bout _Ponyo_?" He offered, instead.

Smiling, I snuggled against the back of the sofa and patted the spot beside me. Movie watching was a nightly ritual, something we started with our dad and continued to do after his death. Danny slipped the disk into the Xbox and jumped onto the sofa, getting under the covers with me. I spared Pakkun a glance then double checked to make sure the shotgun was within arms reach before settling in to watch.

At some point during the movie, I dozed off, exhausted from the lack of sleep the night before and from the back-breaking work in the shed. So when I heard my brothers voice, whispering my name and shaking me lightly I groaned and batted him away thinking nothing of it.

The bed dipped and creaked beneath me and I frowned, swatting at my brother to get him to leave me the hell alone. My fingers brushed something cool and metallic, which wasn't immediately alarming until my hands swept lower and came into contact with a texture akin to a reptile and blazing hot.

I froze. Breath caught in my lungs as I wished very hard for this to be a nightmare. The sound of heavy steady breathing and the edge of a growl told me I was not and the creature above me knew I was awake. Swallowing thickly, I cracked open my eyes saw the alien above me outlined by the light of the tv and felt the color drain from my face. Adrenaline hit my system, heart fluttering madly like a caged bird as the fight or flight syndrome warred within me.

The shotgun rested just behind me, I could see it in my minds eye. I decided to fight. I tried to scramble away from him, twisting on my side and making a grab for the gun. A large hand gripped my hip and jerked me back, my desperate attempt to reach the gun foiled in a nanosecond. Not even enough time for my brain to catch up before I found myself beneath the hulking alien, his body tense and poised over mine like some great predator. He growled in my face, so close that the black dread-like appendages trailed over my breasts and shoulders, raising gooseflesh in their wake. One massive hand still gripped my hip, the other resting just behind my head as he caged me with his body. The intense heat rolling off him caused sweat to bead along my skin and I was overwhelmed by his heady musky scent.

In my periphery I noticed Danny crouched beside the bed, his green orbs flicking between us, a grin on his face. "Pakkun's awake."

 _No shit, Danny!_

I swallowed, throat and mouth dry as sandpaper. "Think he remembers me hitting him with a pan?"

The alien above me roared, the sound blood curdling and deafening. Oh yeah, he remembered. Th bed trembled and creaked as he brought his full weight onto the mattress, housing my much smaller body beneath his as if he were settling in to eat me. I yelped as the bedframe, unable to take his immense weight buckled and hit the floor. The alien above me didn't even twitch at the sudden jostling motion. However, it did bring him closer to me, his bare chest blazing hot as it brushed mine and I became disturbingly aware of my state of undress. The shirt I wore road up, exposing my cotton whites and bare stomach. He leaned in closer and the shirt rose higher getting dangerously close to flashing my headlights at both my brother and the alien.

Fear unlike anything I've ever felt before sent my heart into a frenzy as my eyes met the black slits in the mask. This close I could see a pair of cold gold-amber orbs akin to that of a wolf's and felt the blood in my veins turn to ice.

In my periphery, I saw my brother move closer and found my courage. I lifted my chin, met those lupine orbs and spoke in a low growl of my own, "Do _not_ hurt my brother."

* * *

 **A/N:** **Thanx for reading! Loven' all those favs, follows and reviews. I still have no idea where this story is going its just fun. Takes my mind off of _Deadly Curiosities_ when I get hung up. Sorry for mistakes. Hope it was enjoyable, though. :) **

**Sleepyhallow1: thanx for the review, hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **waterflame4991: LMAO the frying pan was inspired from binge watching Jackie Chan. Glad you got a kick out of it!**

 **angel897: Glad you found it interesting! Hope to keep you enthralled :)**

 **Jazz'z Favorite Human Girl: I'm glad you found it interesting! Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **Guest's: Although your reviews are anonymous I still love them!**

 **FFEShaowfoot: I'm excited to see where it goes too! XD**

 **Rasha007: Super spy 007 here's more for you to read! Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **reinita1987: So glad the first chapter excited you! Hope the second did not disappoint!**


	3. Chapter 3

**My Sister's Single**

"Do _not_ hurt my brother."

Those bright amber orbs narrowed behind the helmet, I saw intelligence there and realized he'd understood me. The knowledge of which hit me like a baseball bat to the chest. Not only was this alien capable of understanding me but he also seemed _aware_ of his predicament and evaluated his options while holding me captive. Only sentient creatures are capable of that kind of thought process which meant he could be reasoned with. Maybe. Being sentient didn't exactly make a hostile creature any less hostile.

"My sister patched you up Pakkun," Danny said cheerily, completely unaware of the danger we were in.

The alien above me inclined his head towards my baby brother and made a series of weird clicks behind the helmet. He rose up off me just a smidge, giving me the ability to take a breath. The hand behind my head moved to the franken-style stitch job at his side and he dragged a clawed finger over my handy work. He made a soft rumbly noise in is throat, a curious sound only because it was the least aggressive one he's made thus far. The alien turned his attention back to me and I met his eyes for a split second before the slits flashed red and darkened to the point I could no longer see the eyes behind them.

Slowly he rolled up off of me, regarding me, head tilted as he crouched next to the now broken pullout bed. His actions made very little sense, almost animal-like in nature. Predator-like. I had the sudden urge to reread _The Man Who Lives with Wolves_ or watch a shit ton of Shark Week as if it might help me understand him better.

"Told yeah."

Wary of the alien in front of me, I slowly glanced in my brother's direction, who was smiling as if in triumph. I raised an expectant brow, inviting him to explain.

"Pakkun's one of the good guys, sis."

 _Good guy my left ass cheek!_

When I glanced back at Pakkun, he tilted his head, still quietly regarding me. Cautious, I rolled up onto my elbows. Paused. Pakkun didn't move. Slowly, without any hasty movements, I sat up. Again the alien did nothing but then again he didn't have too. His presence was menacing enough. My eyes automatically drifted to the shotgun, laying on its side now, a few feet away from the mattress. Pakkun seemed to instinctively understand where my thoughts went and he gave a low growl of warning. My body tensed, expecting him to attack me again. He didn't and I eyed him warily in my periphery.

 _Weird, creature._

"Nina?"

I blinked and focused on Danny.

"Can we keep him?"

My brows shot to my hairline and the response was automatic, "No."

Danny's face fell and I took a breath. I'd responded out fear and panic. It's not as if there was a Dummies Guide on how to explain to your brother that his so called _pet_ was actually a sentient being and an aggressive one at that.

"Look, Danny, this isn't his home. Hell, this isn't even his planet. Don't you think he has a place to go back too?"

 _Hopefully._

"Pakkun," Danny looked at the alien, eyes shining with hope and brimming with tears. The alien's gaze finally left me and fell on my brother which actually didn't make me feel any better. "Please stay! We can be friends!"

The creature abruptly stood up, stretching to his full height which was easily seven feet, maybe eight with a body _Thor_ only wishes he had. I scrambled over to my brother and wrapped my arms around him. The creature snorted as if amused by my action before suddenly heading into the kitchen, heavy footfalls echoing.

"Pakkun?!" Danny called, attempting to wrench himself away from me.

"Danny stop! Let him go!"

"He can't leave! He just can't!"

"Danny we can't kee-"

A metallic rip rang in my ears and the color drained from my face. "Stay here," I said fervently, then dashed into the kitchen.

A shriek built in my throat as I found the top of the washer torn from off its hinges and laying on the ground at the creatures feet. He'd found where I'd stashed his gear and was in the process of putting it all back on.

"So of a bitch!" I went for a frying pan. Blunt instrument, ho! "Do you have any idea how much it'll cost to get-"

A hand gripped the back of my neck and spun me around. I brought the pan up but he blocked it effortlessly this time.

 _So he had been protecting Danny._

He tore the pan from my grip, body taught and rippling as he leaned over to roar directly into my face. His rage beat against my skin, the mother of all hurricanes. I bared my teeth, afraid, but anger overrode my sense of self-preservation. This guy was probably used to getting what he wanted, a bully, who liked to win. Well, eat your heart out big boy because us southern girls got a mean streak the size of the Mississippi.

His helmet covered face lowered, the eye slits no longer a solid black so that I could meet his blazing amber orbs. The low growl in his throat vibrated in warning. I gripped the hand at my throat and tugged. He didn't budge. No surprise. Gator wrestling would be easier and far less dangerous than trying to fight the alien in front of me. I scratched at his arms but I'd have to attach razor blades to my nails in order to actual damage his thick skin. Even as I continued to squirm and fight, hissing like a hacked off cat the steady growl he emitted died, changing into something completely unexpected and strange. I stopped struggling, momentarily hypnotized by the soothing vibrations and the lulling sound. My eyes found his through the helmet's view slits, catching a glimpse of something I'm not sure I was supposed to see pass through those lupine colored orbs. The slits went black, preventing me from seeing his eyes once again and I wondered vaguely if I'd guessed right. The purr emanating from his chest faltered and stopped abruptly as if he'd caught himself doing something bizarre.

"Are you two done yet?"

My eyes snapped to Danny. He was leaning against the door frame to the kitchen, watching us with a mix of confusion and annoyance as if he'd found me making out with a boyfriend.

Pakkun released me and I took a healthy step back.

 _What the hell?_

Danny noticed Pakkun's gear and the frown deepened into an angry pout. "You can't leave us, Pakkun!"

"Danny-"

He jerked away from me, "No, Nina! He can't leave! Everyone always leaving us!"

My heart squeezed tight at his words. I glanced at Pakkun, he stood there quietly, not taking any particular interest as he made adjustments to his gear. Fresh anger flashed in my chest at his dismissal of my little brother but I wasn't about to ask him to stay. I touched Danny's shoulders but he just jerked away from me again, his green eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Fine! Leave!" He screamed at the alien then turned on his heel and ran for the front door.

"Danny wait!"

The front door slammed behind him and I turned to glower at the alien. "Just go. You've caused enough problems." I took a step towards him and he regarded me curiously, a series of clicks coming from behind the helmet. "I understand you saved his life and that's the only reason I'm letting you go with nothing more than a tongue lashing."

He snorted and went back to tapping on some sort of computer thingy in his wrist gauntlets.

"For some reason, Danny really thought of you as a hero." I gave him my back and I heard the subtlest of growls. "Can't imagine why." With that, I snatched up a pair of shorts from the top of the pile by my feet, jerked them on then raced for the door.

"Danny!" I shouted, bursting out into the muggy night. The outdoor security lights flicked on as I passed a motion sensor illuminating the yard. The graveyard of long forgot cars cast eerie and deep shadows, making it impossible to see if and where Danny may be hiding.

 _Damn it, kid, where are you?!_

The tall grass made my feet and legs itch. Going outside, especially at night made you a walking buffet to a host of bloodsuckers but the bugs were the least of my concern. When people hear Louisiana they automatically think gators but there's a lot of other critters in the bayou that are equally dangerous and the night is prime hunting time for many of them.

"Danny where are you?! I know you're upset but you _really_ need to get in the house!"

My kid brother wasn't stupid. Our daddy used to take him on long trips through the woods and swamp. He knew what to look out for but it was still dark and he was a lot smaller than our dad.

I trudged through the grass, heading for the shed and the flashlights I kept there. The big door was slightly ajar and I cocked my head trying to remember if I closed it. I usually did so maybe Danny came to hide out in the shed.

"Danny?" The door creaked as I opened it wider. The inside of the shed was almost pitch black, the light coming from the house barely touching it. I could see well enough to skirt the BMW and the car parts that were haphazardly strewn about but the one thing I didn't see was Danny.

"Shit."

I made my way over to the shelf in the back, hands tentatively sliding blindly over equipment. My fingertips came into contact with something smooth almost rubbery in texture, it didn't feel familiar and my fingers trailed further until I touched something viscous and slimy. It felt like the time I stepped on a fat slug and it squished between my toes. The gross factor was enough to jerk my hands away and wipe them on my shorts with a quiet curse.

 _Great something busted._

Annoyed I continued to search, "Yes!"

I found the flashlight and flipped it on. Squinting at the sudden brightness I blinked at the weird shape in front of me, thinking it was because I'd screwed up my night vision. The weird black shape didn't go away and I leaned forward to inspect it. It moved. My breath caught, gooseflesh prickled from my legs to my scalp so quickly it stung.

The black shape hanging over my work cabinet slowly unfurled, taking on a solid form unlike anything in the natural world or at least our natural world. Its sightless, black sloping head reminded me of a beetle's carapace but as far as I know beetles don't get this fucking big.

 _"There was this big bug thing Nina! You should've seen it! It was so cool!"_ My brother's words played in my head and I swallowed hard at the realization.

It lifted its head slowly, lips quivering and peeling back to reveal a maw full of silvery teeth. I stood, caught like a deer in headlights or one of those B-movie bimbo's who doesn't run for some stupid reason. It shrieked and I screamed.

The next thing I knew, the breath was crushed from chest, ears ringing as an animalistic roar tore the night. Panicked, I struggle and the thick arm around me tightened, plastering me against a body made from molten steel. My eyes snapped up and the light gleamed off of Pakkuns helmet but he didn't look at me. No. He was focused on the obsidian creature slowly stalking us out of the shed.

 _Oh god, what is that thing?!_

It was hard to make out the details but I saw enough to know I really didn't give a shit. It's oily black skin bled into the shadows and I only made out a long segmented tail and a boney spidery-like body. The light reflected oddly off the creature as if it wasn't so much reflecting but being absorbed or something like that. So even as the creature stepped into the pool of dim light it was still hard to focus on it. Had I not seen it up close and personal, I would've thought it to be a trick of the light and to lay off the late night horror movies.

 _Danny!_

I squirmed, "Let me go. You deal with that- that _thing_ while I find Danny."

He growled and for whatever reason did not want to let me go. I mule kicked him, though all it got me was another warning growl.

"I have to find Danny! I'll only get in th-"

I yelped, startled as all hell when I collided with the ground. My instinctual reaction was to twist around and yell at the prick but the words died in my throat as I saw Pakkun with not one but two spidery creatures wrestling on the ground. The monstrous sounds coming from both Pakkun and the spidery aliens were menacing and spine shriveling. Lions fighting in the Serengeti would sound like pissed off kittens by comparison.

"Nina!"

My head jerked away from the whacked out version of _Animal Planets_ : Predator vs Predator playing out in my yard to focus on Danny who stood on the porch, waving me over with a hurried gesture.

"Come on! Come on! Nina, hurry!"

I scrambled up and sprinted the yard or so to the porch and up the steps in a matter of seconds. Winded, I sucked in air and made a mental note to make an effort to fucking jog more as I ushered my brother inside and threw the locks.

"What about Pakkun?"

"He can take care of himself, Danny," I said, words breathy as I grabbed the shotgun and pocketed a few extra shells.

"But he's hurt, Nina!"

I ignored my brother's plea more focused on keeping him safe.

"Neens," he emphasized the nickname. "He saved my life."

I sighed, shoulders dropping in defeat. "Yeah, okay. I get it."

The noises coming from the battling titans outside sent a hefty dose of fear sliding down my spine but Danny was right. Besides, us Louisiana folk don't know how to bow out of a fight and when it comes to our own- come hell or high water we will take you down.

"Stay inside Danny," I grabbed his shoulders and looked him in the eye. "Lock up behind me and do not open it until I say it's safe."

He nodded fervently, chest puffed out. I didn't make any melodramatic statements. If Pakkun couldn't handle those spidery things, then no way in hell could Sheriff Watkins and his hand full of Deputies. I kissed the top of his head and breathed in the smell of his hair then leaped out the door and slammed it behind me.

The carnage unfolding before my eyes was brutal. Pakkun had ripped one of the spidery creatures in half, its boney carcass laying in a pool of yellow blood. It took me a second to notice but over the natural smell of the bayou, an acrid scent of burning vegetation and something much fouler assaulted my nose, making my eyes water. The grass around the carcass was blackened and sizzling with barely visible wafts of smoke.

 _Is that things blood burning the ground?!_

Pakkun roared and the creature in his grip shrieked. It opened its maw and something sprang out of its mouth lightning fast and I gulped watching the little appendage with its own set of teeth graze the metal of Pakkun's helmet. Phosphorus green oozed from the wound in his side and I realized he reopened it.

 _Damn!_

The drip, drip of rain hit the top of my head, sliding down the side of my face. I touched it because it felt oddly dense and warm. My finger came away coated in slime. I stared at it incredulously for a whole second before memory smacked me in the face like a ton of bricks. A hiss reached my ears and I swallowed my heart back down as I tilted my head back to look up. Shrouded in shadow like a wraith, the only thing visible was its silvery teeth as the spidery creature above me shrieked. I screamed, jerking the shotgun up, the shot went wild as the spidery alien leaped at me. We collided with the rail on the porch and smashed through it, plunging us into the pool. I blinked, the chlorinated water stung my eyes and the back of my throat. The spidery creature lost its grip during the fall but it swam towards me, the barracuda from hell with its jaws open.

My vision was obscured by something else crashing into the water. A heavy claw-tipped hand grabbed my shoulder while another one took hold of my calf. No contest. The creature gripping my shoulder was stronger and it yanked me out of the other creatures grip, its claws tearing the flesh of my calf. I breached the surface of the water and screamed. It hurt. God how the fuck it hurt.

Pakkun held me above the water, against his chest, spinning around to face the spidery alien still under the water. The weapon in his free hand glinted in the light and I recognized the twin blades but couldn't figure out how the thing had more than quadrupled in length.

The obsidian alien came up out of the water with an ear piercing cry, moving so fast it blurred. Pakkun roared, shielding me and taking the full force of that _things_ powerful blows.

 _"...bad guys don't save people..."_

Damn. Danny had been right.

"Pakkun get out of the water!" I shouted. The pool was acting like a small caged arena and with me in his arms, Pakkun may not be able to win. He must have agreed with me because in one powerful leap we were out of the water and in the air. Pakkun grunted as he landed on his feet, the spidery alien climbed up onto the wall of the pool and shrieked.

 _Where's the other one?_

Because there was still only one carcass on the grass and the last time I counted there had been three. The dead one, the one Pakkun had been fighting when I exited the house and the one who attacked me.

Pakkun's head jerked, dreadlock appendages smacking me in the face with the sharp movement. I got a good look at the spear end of a scorpion-like tail before I hit the grass and went sprawling. Pakkun roared, the sound angry and terrifying.

"Pakkun!" I shouted, rolling in time to see him hit the ground, fending off the ferocious and deadly attacks of both spidery creatures. My eyes searched the ground for a weapon. Anything!

 _The shotgun!_

My eyes snapped to the porch and I could see the glint of the barrel as it laid on its side. I shot to my feet and yelped, knees sinking back into the grass as pain seared my left calf. Blood flowed in thick ribbons from the three furrows carved into my skin. The spidery aliens claws had really done a number. My eyes found Pakkun, his chest and arms covered in the phosphorus green but he didn't give in. He fought as if the wounds gave him no trouble at all but even a powerful creature such as him has limits and because of me, he'd been hurt. Badly.

Hissing in pain, I got to my feet and jogged over to the porch. I grabbed the shotgun and raced back down the steps. The sound of tearing flesh made me flinch and paused, momentarily stunned by the sight of Pakkun literally ripping one of the aggressors apart. The spidery creature gave a shrill cry of agony, its spinal column peeled out of its fleshy housing with a wet slurp. The other alien tackled him, the body of the dead one tossed aside. Yellow blood sprayed the ground and the reaction was instantaneous, it burned everything it touched.

 _Acid for blood._

Carefully I stepped around the patches of burning vegetation and ran for Pakkun. He was on his back, the spidery alien on top of him. It shrieked, tail whipping around like an angry cat, striking at Pakkun's head over and over. Pakkun managed to dodge but just barely, at the same time keeping the things claws and jaws at bay.

The sound of the shell sliding into place brought the spidery aliens head up, I shoved the barrel into its open maw-

"Bitch! Welcome to the south!"

-and fired. It screamed. Corrosive yellow blood spraying. Pakkun shoved the spidery alien off, got to his feet and swung the deadly double-bladed weapon in a swift motion my eyes couldn't track. The obsidian alien stood there for a second as if frozen then the front of its head sluffed off and it collapsed to the ground.

The constant hammer of adrenaline and fear made it hard to focus but the scent of smoldering metal stole my attention. The barrel of the gun had melted, a candle wax effect that would've been cool had I not been the one holding it or scared out of my mind. I dropped it, chest heaving as I warily looked around. My gaze eventually landed on Pakkun who swung the blade once more, dislodging the corrosive blood and the long weapon collapsed into itself. The acid blood apparently didn't effect his weapon the same way it ate through some of his armor and my shotgun.

I exhaled, "A-are they gone?"

He glanced down at the gauntlet thing attached to his wrist. It made a series of soft beeps, confirming my theory of it being a type of computer. He trilled softly, head inclining in my direction once more and gave me a curt nod.

"Fuck," I collapsed into the grass, hand ghosting over the bleeding wound in my leg. Pakkun appeared beside me and crouched, I eyed the big alien warily as his hand ghosted over my wound. He made series of audible clicks as if talking to himself. Clearing my throat, I gingerly slid my leg away and Pakkun tilted his head at me as if in question.

"It's fine." My eyes lighted on his various injuries, all of which were way worse than my own. His species must just be naturally born badasses to have such a high pain tolerance because no human would be standing with those types of wounds.

Feeling suddenly self-conscious, which was ridiculous, I forced my gaze away from those soulless blacked out slits in his helmet and focused on the dead bug things littering the yard.

"What are these things?" I asked quietly, eyes sliding over one spidery alien's corpse. It's mouth lay open, inner jaws limp against the ground like a mutant tongue. The eyeless carapace gleamed in the light and I wondered vaguely how the fuck these things had been able to track us so fast without sight. They'd moved with the efficiency and speed of a velociraptor straight out of a _Jurassic Park_ movie.

"Kiande amedha..."

The dark, smoky base of his guttural voice ran like pins and needles across my skin. Slowly I faced him once more, my eyes owlish and unblinking.

I licked my suddenly dry lips. "Okay," I said slowly. "If that's what those things are then... then what are you?"

Pakkun considered me for a long moment but for whatever reason, he decided not to answer. Instead, he got to his feet and began collecting corpses and piling them. He lifted the large dead creatures as if they weighed nothing and showed no outward signs that the various wounds along his chest and arms even phased him. My eyes narrowed as he knelt next to one of the corpses and seized the head, jerking it free of the rest of the body with a snarl.

 _What the heck?_

He pulled something from a pouch at his hip, a strange tool of some kind that fanned a narrow beam of red light over the spidery creatures sloping skull. Its skin peeled back, giving off a foul stench as it did so and eventually white bone showed through the sinew and muscle. With an obviously practiced skill, he removed the flesh until all that remained was the skull. The act itself wasn't lost on me. Louisiana has no shortage of hunters and _trophy_ collecting is a common practice.

 _Pakkun's a hunter..._

He set the skull aside, hand lingering on the prize momentarily before he pulled something else from a pouch. Whatever it was, it was a bright fluorescent blue and I watched with rapt attention as he opened it and sprinkled a few drops on the carcasses.

Wincing I got to my feet and trudged over, fascinated by how the bright blue liquid completely ate through muscle, and tissue, and bone, until all that remained was a black patch of earth.

"Shit," I breathed. "Remind me never to piss you off."

He gave a bemused snort and a sidelong glance as I knelt down and picked up the skull. It was heavy, then again I think there was still brain tissue inside but I ignored the ick factor and studied it carefully. Pakkun made a few curious rumbles as he observed what I was doing.

"Kiande amedha, right?" I doubted I pronounced it correctly but regardless, Pakkun gave a short nod in my periphery. I slid my thumb over the things teeth, pausing over the front set which was flat and eerily similar to a humans. The canines, on the other hand, were long and sharp, reminiscent of any large predator only they were strangely translucent and silvery in color.

The weight of the skull made my arms ache so I handed it back to Pakkun, hoping he didn't catch the subtle tremor in my hands. "Pakkun... " I licked my lips, fear making my mouth dry.

The alien beside me leaned close and sucked in a breath.

 _Is he.. is he scenting my fear?_

Heat crept up my cheeks and I scooted away. Pakkun made a strange low rumbly growl that I couldn't interpret but the awkward moment was shattered when Danny burst out the front door with a metal colander strapped to his head, kneepads, and a freaking toilet wand which he held like a bat. What was he planning to do? Scrub them to death?

"Nina! Pakkun!"

"Over here Danny," I called tiredly.

He turned sharply and the colander slipped over the side of his head. He managed to right it before it fell off and walked over to the broken porch rail. "You guys okay?" He looked around, "Are the bad guys gone?"

Using Pakkun's arm to steady myself, I got to my feet. "We're... alive." I glanced at Pakkun, even crouched he was almost at eye level. "Pakkun killed the bad guys."

"I told you he's a good guy!"

"Yes," I smiled, mostly to myself but I think Pakkun noticed it. Gingerly, I made my way towards the stairs, trying my best not to limp so as not to alarm Danny. Or maybe that's the line I fed myself as I felt Pakkun's steady gaze on my back. "You were right soot sprite."

...

"Does it hurt?" Danny asked, his green eyes riveted to the blood stained bandages on my calf. The claw marks were deep but not as bad as I initially thought. Stitches would help with the scarring but it would still leave a nasty one behind.

"Yes, but I'm fine." I said, reassuring him. Pakkun sat in front of me, eyes watching me through the helmet as I stitched up the worst of his wounds. At first, he'd fought me but I can be quite a stubborn bitch. Although honestly, I think he was humoring me because I doubt my threats about braining him with a frying pan again really worried him.

"So Pakkun can stay, right?"

My brow raised, eyes flicking up at Pakkun's momentarily before I refocused on the wound in his side. The guy didn't even twitch as the hook went in and out, in and out, whereas I would be screaming like a banshee.

"For now, Danny. He needs time to recover anyway."

Of course judging by the state of his day old injuries his recovery time may only be mere days. So not only is this species bigger than us, stronger than us and faster than us, they can heal rapidly on top of all that.

In my periphery, I saw Danny bounce a little closer, his big green eyes shining with awe as he looked at his hero. "My sister's single."

I stuck myself with the needle, yelped and whirled on my brother all in one breath. "Danny!"

* * *

 **A/N:** **Hope everyone enjoyed the update. Sorry for mistakes. Thanx for all the reviews, favs, and follows!**

 **Guest Reviewers: I don't know your names but thanks for the support!**

 **Angel897: I'm so glad you find it fun to read because I found it fun to write!**

 **sousie: Glad you love it ;)**

 **Black cross0: I won't stop writing it XD**

 **09sasha: I honestly didn't see Tangled until after you asked about the pan. I watched it a few days ago and found it hilarious. The pan was more Jackie Chan inspired. :) I won't abandon this story I just may update slower than others because this story is meant to take my mind off the more serious ones.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Baby Got Back**

Mr. Sandman's a dick. Apparently living through the retard live-action of _Eight Legged Freaks_ hadn't been bad enough. Now the weird aliens crawled into my dreams and killed Idris Elba just as he was about to boink me into oblivion. How fucking rude was that?! Seriously- the nerve!

I woke up snarling, chest heaving as I bolted upright and searched the dimly lit room for my attackers. It took me several heart-pounding moments to fully understand I wasn't on some deserted island with a hunky Englishman, nor was I surrounded by aliens that could've been Satan's head lice. No. I was in the living room, on our dilapidated pullout bed with Danny tucked next to me. The lucky-duck managed to sleep like the dead even after the attack. Must be nice.

Taking a deep breath, I scrubbed at my face wearily and stretched out my legs. The stitches pulled tight, and the wounds stung like hundreds of tiny, annoying paper cuts. My breath hitched at the tightening in my chest thanks to the bruises I'd received from my first encounter with Pakkun. The jerk.

Groaning, I rubbed my tender sternum absently while I mentally cataloged the aches and pains. After ten I stopped counting and just concluded that I was one giant bruise. Talking and flickering light brought my gaze up, and I found the tv running quietly on the anime network. Face twisted in rage, Inuyasha released his Tessaiga and slew a demon ten times his size.

 _I could sure use a sword like that..._

Danny shifted, and I glanced down to find his face scrunched up, and his small hands balled into fists. Like I said, Mr. Sandman's a dick. Placing a hand on his back, I gently rubbed soothing circles and after a moment he relaxed a little.

Awareness prickled my skin, I'd completely forgotten about Pakkun. The light of the tv glinted off his helmet, catching my eye and I spied him laying on the floor behind Danny. Silhouetted by the glow of the tv, the alien made no movement or even a sound, yet I felt the intensity of his ever watchful gaze. It unnerved me that I hadn't noticed him moments ago and that I probably wouldn't have seen him at all if he didn't want me too.

 _Creepy, bastard..._

Gently, I tucked the covers around Danny and pressed my pillow against him before getting up. The boy wrapped an arm around the pillow and sighed contentedly as he squeezed the life out of it. I found my phone adhered to my thigh and couldn't even bring myself to look at the time after peeling it off. An educated guess would be oh-fuck-thirty in the morning. Way too early, and way too late to be conscious, much less doing anything but I wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon.

Thinking lite weight thoughts, I eased out of the bed and didn't straighten until both my feet were on the cool floor. I started for the kitchen and my toe hit the forgotten colander and the damn thing went skittering across the hardwood floor. The hair-raising clatter made me stiffen, and I peeked at my baby brother. He groaned but quickly settled down, and I slumped in relief.

 _Smooth, Neens._

Pakkun made a subtle snort, a mocking and exasperated sound that sent my hackles straight back up. I scowled at him, but even if his face hadn't been covered by the helmet, the shadows made it difficult to see more than his hulking shape. If not for the sleeping child near my feet I would've done more than simply give him the bird but hopefully, the gesture was universal and not just a human one.

On my way into the kitchen, I was forced to step over the mountain of muscle -since he didn't feel inclined to move- and made sure to subtly jab him with a toe to the ribs. He growled softly, shifting slightly on his propped arm to watch me pass. I smiled vindictively, even as a little tremor of fear rushed up my spine at the very real possibility of retaliation. After watching the way he ripped those bug aliens apart, using nothing but his hands, annoying him may not be the healthiest idea. He could've grabbed me before I kicked him, I know he could've; those lightning fast reflexes of his were beyond human capabilities but for whatever reason, he let me off with a warning.

In the kitchen, I flipped on the light above the stove and blinked away spots. The ugly yellow fluorescent glow made an eerie halo around me, not even touching the darkest corners of the room. I shivered. Imagining those- what the heck had Pakkun called them? Kiande amedha? _Whatever._ Imagining those _a_ _liens_ lying in wait, sent my heart into a tizzy and maybe that's why I didn't hear the actual alien in the room sneak up behind me.

The heat radiating off him brushed my back and arms, I spun, backing myself up against the stove. Pakkun's chest heaved twice, and I got the impression he was laughing at me.

"Asshole. Did you seriously just _punk_ me?!" I whispered angrily, while still trying to get a grip on my galloping heart.

Pakkun cocked his head, causing the dreads to fall over one broad shoulder. Maybe he didn't understand the question or maybe, and more plausibly, he was feigning ignorance.

 _Game on you Star Trek reject!_

The _Joker_ cackled manically inside my head, rubbing his hands together as I schemed. I hid a ludicrous smile and moved for the fridge to grab a Dew. Humor is my crutch in life, without it, I wouldn't be able to function and take care of Danny.

Light spilled out of the fridge, brighter than the one above the stove and I froze at the sight of the blood, both green and red, crusted under my nails. It caught me off guard and the playback of the evening's earlier events hit me with the finesse of a nine iron to the teeth. Danny could've been _killed_. Hell, I could've been killed and then some state appointed goon would take custody of my baby brother and put him in one of those godawful homes.

I grabbed a Dew, thought better of it, and grabbed a beer instead. I closed the door and nearly dropped the bottle when I found Pakkun standing right behind it.

"Shit," I growled, taking an automatic step back. "Do you want another pan to the face?!"

He snorted and continued to watch me through the blacked out slits in the helmet. I walked back under the light, pressed the lip of the cap against the counter and smacked the top to pop the bottle open.

"Want one?" I offered, holding up the dark ale. Might as well _try_ and be civil and see if I could get some answers since we were both awake. He made no move to grab the offered beer and I shrugged, taking a sip for myself.

"You're a hunter right?"

He trilled softly but made no other acknowledgment to the question. Not exactly the chattiest guy.

I sighed tiredly, setting the beer on the counter. "Look I'm grateful for what you did, saving our lives and all, but those bug things aren't exactly native. Did you bring them here?"

He gave a single sharp nod.

Annoyance flared in my chest, and it tightened my voice. "Why? So you could hunt them? Innocent people could've died, you idiot!" The floodgates opened, spilling forth all of the carefully pent up dread, worry, and anger. My voice was growing in pitch, dangerously close to shrieking bitch levels. "No, you know what? Fuck, other people. You could've gotten Danny killed! My baby brother, you fucking retard! How dare you come to our planet and unleash those-"

Pakkun moved so fast my brain didn't catch up until after he had me backed up against the stove. The metal edge dug into my lower back, but it was nothing compared to the feel of the claws digging into my neck. A growl rumbled at the back of his throat menacingly.

The slits in his helmet flash red, and I suddenly found myself staring into his amber orbs. It stole my breath, and I fought down the instinctual urge to look away and cower.

"Do you always resort to violence?!" My words were breathy, thanks to the hand at my throat. The growl intensified and I knew he was trying to scare me. It worked, I was scared, but I was also royally pissed off. "You think you're the first guy to try and push me around?! You may be bigger, and stronger, but I won't let you bully me every time you simply get annoyed or don't want to answer a damn question. If that's too difficult for you then you should move-the-fuck-on and leave us the hell alone!"

The hand at my neck moved, and I flinched, bracing myself for the hit. The punch never came. Pakkun's claws trailed up to cradled my skull, fingers tangling in my hair. I opened my eyes. His face was closer now- much closer. The eyes behind the helmet remained bright with anger, but had lost a lot of their hostility and in its place, I saw bizarre flickers of ambivalence and curiosity. The heat of his skin enveloped me, and my nipples hardened in response to the way his flesh teased them through the fabric of my thin shirt. Pakkun inhaled sharply, and I watched as those amber orbs brightened to wolf gold.

"Uh, Nina?"

My eyes went wide, the sound of Danny's voice was the equivalent of a bucket of ice water. Was it hot? Why was I hot? I pulled away from Pakkun, he made a low irritated noise in the back of his throat and held me fast. I scowled up at him, then peeked around his massive shoulder at my brother.

Danny stared at us from the doorway, still scrubbing sleep from his eyes. He blinked a few times and finally seemed to notice Pakkun. He brightened almost instantly, and I stifled a groan at the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. TicTac popped out of the front of his shirt, and he patted the top of the ferrets head.

"Let's go, Tac. Things are about to get PG-13 in here."

"No!" I cried, squirming in Pakkun's arms. He inhaled sharply, and suddenly let me go and stepped back. Pakkun snarled angrily, though I couldn't tell if it was directed at me or at himself.

Straightening, I shot Pakkun a wary glare before leveling a tired stare on my brother, who was still smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"So-o-o, R then?"

"Danny!" I said sharply. Where the heck did he get this stuff?!

Danny rolled his eyes, "Nina I'm not stupid. You gave me _the talk_ months-"

"That's not what this is!" My face was flaming red, and my temper was right up there with it.

He frowned unconvinced, glancing between the two of us.

I took a breath and forced myself to calm down, unsure why I'd gotten so worked up in the first place. "Go back to sleep, Danny, it's far too early for me to deal with you without caffeine."

He shrugged, came into the kitchen, grabbed a Coke from the fridge and handed it to me. Smart-ass.

"I can't sleep."

He looked away but not before I caught the flash of fear in his green orbs, and my heart squeezed. I ruffled his hair and smiled as he batted my hand away.

"I demand bacon!"

I snorted. "Demand all you want but I ain't cooking anything until after you've showered."

In fact, now that my mind wasn't reeling from the weird exchange between Pakkun and I, and the even weirder suggestive comments of Danny, I noticed the ripe stench wafting from all three of us. I eyed Pakkun, he smelled the worst. The musty reptilian scent was definitely stronger and had taken on a sour note from the sweat and blood. I'd barely noticed it while in his hold, but then again telling a guy he fucking reeked like maggoty roadkill while said, guy, had a dangerous grip on your throat probably would've ended with a snap of bone. Namely, my neck.

Pakkun stared back at me, and I wondered what was going through his alien mind. He appeared to have collected himself, though I thought his breathing might be a little ragged.

"We're men!" Danny ran up to Pakkun and crossed his arms over his puffed out chest. "And men don't need to shower, Nina!" I think he was attempting to pose next to the alien, but Pakkun tilted his head down at the kid in a 'what the fuck' motion. And the knee pads that migrated down to Danny's ankles kind of ruined the whole badass effect he was going for.

I sighed, closing and opening my eyes with weariness I didn't even have to try and exaggerate. "The fuck you don't. We're not hippies Danny." My eyes caught Pakkuns through the slits in his helmet. "You stink, pal."

He snorted.

"How about this. If you both get clean then I'll make French toast." A bribe. Possibly one of the worst forms of parenting but, hey, desperate measures and all that. If I didn't get a single moment of solace, I might go southern-redneck-crazy-bitch on their asses!

Danny perked up with excitement. "And bacon?"

I groaned. "Fine."

He bounced happily, turning to look up at Pakkun and grabbed the aliens large hand. Danny's hands were so much smaller that each one could wrap around an individual digit of Pakkun's hand.

"Come on, Pakkun!" He tugged, eagerly.

Pakkun cocked his head in an uncertain manner, and as Danny continued to tug, eventually the big alien lifted his arm. Danny giggled, now dangling a good foot off the floor. Pakkun merely sighed the same way any adult sighs at a petulant child and the sound instantly relieved my sudden fear of Danny being in danger. For whatever reason, Pakkun seemed to have patience when it came to my baby brother.

Danny giggled, swinging his legs. "Higher! Higher!"

Pakkun groaned and I snickered, unintentionally drawing his attention. I smiled serenely, happy for once not to be the monkey bars to an over zealous eight-year-old. Pakkun ignored Danny's antics and cocked his head, perhaps confused by the contented smile on my face. Actually, why was I smiling?

Clearing my throat, I turned towards the fridge and hid behind the open door as I grabbed the milk and eggs. "Now, Danny. Take Pakkun upstairs and show him how to use the shower."

"Fine," he whined. "Come on Pakkun before my sister turns into a mononoke and has a hissy fit."

"Danny," I griped. Not bothering to shut the door as I enjoyed the feel of the cool air against my overheated skin. Freaking south.

"Trying!" He huffed. "Come on, Pakkun-" Danny panted. "-go!"

I leaned out from behind the door and found Danny shoving against Pakkuns leg with all his might. Pakkun snorted and made a series of bemused clicks but after a few more incessant shoves from Danny, the alien allowed himself to be herded out of the kitchen.

"Yes! Come on! Come on! I've got squirt guns!"

"Danny-" I jerked the door closed. "- let Pakkun go first!" I called after him as he ran headlong up the stairs. Pakkun trailed behind the boy, and if I didn't know any better, I'd almost say he was dragging his feet. Truthfully, I felt bad for the guy. Danny could turn bath time into a hazardous water sport.

 _Better him than me._

...

In the kitchen and _finally_ alone, I sang my heart out with _Three Days Grace_ as I worked on breakfast. I've been told in the past that I have a decent singing voice but at the moment I was pretty sure I was butchering the hell out of _I am Machine_ but couldn't have cared less as the music thrummed through my body.

"...I am machine

I never sleep

I keep my eyes wide open

I am mach-"

A crash from upstairs brought me up short. I grabbed my phone and paused the music then listened intently. For a moment I heard only the low hum of the shower and thought maybe I'd imagined it, but just as I was about hit play a booming roar echoed through the house so intense that it vibrated the walls.

 _Danny!_

"Danny?!" I ran out of the kitchen and took the steps two at a time. Gritting my teeth as the stitches tugged mercilessly and shot pinpricks of sharp pain along my nerve endings. I heard thrashing, the sound of tearing fabric and metallic pings which I was certain was the shower curtain, and Danny's voice rising over the din. "Danny are you all-"

I threw open the door and froze.

"-Pakkun! Hold still!" Danny yelled. Crouched under the spray of the shower, the bulk of the alien hid Danny from view. Water pelted the expanse of Pakkun's taut broad back, playing in the dips and well-defined slopes of his muscles. Soapy suds slid down the sensual curve of his spine and I couldn't seem to tear my eyes away as they caressed the most gravity-defying ass I've ever laid my eyes on. It was perfect. And here I thought no one's ass compared to Benedict Cumberbatch's... damn I was wrong.

The forest greens of his hide blended to an almost black tone along his back and beneath the beautifully mottled skin, I watched those muscles ripple with the same fluid grace of a big cat's. My head tilted of its own volition and I ogled that fine rump a little harder, mouth going dry as those cheeks flexed.

The hair along my arms prickled and my eyes rose to find Pakkun watching me from over his shoulder. Like a deer in headlights, I stared at the bright gold of his eye and couldn't look away.

"Nina!"

My eyes jerked towards Danny. He poked his head around Pakkun's massive shoulder.

"Get out! No girls aloud!"

I licked my lips and tried very hard not feel Pakkun's eyes still on me. "Whats with all the racket?" I was going for stern, but it came out more breathy than I care to admit.

"Pakkun doesn't like soap. The suds got in his eyes. Now, get out!" Danny's wet face was pinched in annoyance, his red hair helmet slick to his head.

 _Wait his eyes?_

My startled gaze went back to Pakkun and indeed he wasn't wearing his helmet anymore but he wasn't looking at me either. Danny stepped back as Pakkun suddenly straightened to his full height and I found myself transfixed, drinking in the incredibly male figure in my shower.

His log black dreads hung just past his shoulder blades and their movement brought my stunned gaze back up. Again I met one wolf gold eye but this time, I spun away before he could ensnare me again.

"Breakfast in ten! Make sure to wipe up the water on the floor." I sounded breathy. Lord, why did I sound breathy? I walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door calmly behind me so that it didn't look like I was fleeing. Because I wasn't. Damn it!

Back in the kitchen, I splashed cold water on my face and slapped my cheeks. God, I needed sleep.

Feeling slightly less disjointed, I pulled out my phone and picked a beat to listen to while I busied myself. It's totally fucking random that I happened to choose _Baby Got Back_. And yes, I sang along!

...

When the boys finally entered the kitchen, I noted that Pakkun had dawned his helmet again, along with the rest of his gear. From day one he struck me as the carnivorous type, and I didn't think he'd appreciate the sugary goodness of French toast. We didn't have all that much in the way of meat at the moment, so I settled on making the whole package of bacon and boiling some eggs.

Pakkun quietly watched me work, making various unintelligible rumbles as I moved about the kitchen. Sitting on a stool across from me, Danny smothered two pieces of French toast in what had to be a gallon of syrup and dug in. And I inwardly sighed, thinking I should've fed the beasties before sending them off to shower.

Pakkun inclined his head towards Danny and sniffed the air. He trilled softly and leaned away from the sticky mess. I grabbed the bacon and the bowl with the eggs and shoved them towards the end of the kitchen island. Pakkun didn't seem to know what to do, or maybe he preferred his food raw and bleeding.

"It's okay," I grabbed a piece of the bacon and the alien watched with interest as I ate it. I licked the grease from my fingers. "Try it. It's good."

"Especially with syrup!" Danny chimed in.

Pakkun stared for a long moment, perhaps silently debating his options. The loud, angry gurgle from his belly brought a smile to my lips. I snickered, looking away as he huffed in my direction. He may not like the smell of our food, but his stomach didn't give a rats ass.

Relenting to the will of his body, Pakkun slowly reached up, and my eyes followed the movement in my periphery. He yanked at a small hose connected to his helmet and air hissed as it disconnected. With suddenly very wrapped attention, I watched his fingers fanned over the front of the helmet and slowly remove it.

My breath got lodged in my throat, and I'm pretty sure the hairs on the back of neck didn't just stand but _ran_ the fuck away. The face behind the helmet would've made any of Danny's superhero's wet themselves and throw in the towel. The human similarities ended at bipedal. Pakkun stretched his corded neck from side to side, apparently relieving tension. Crab-like mandibles stretched out from the lower half of his face each tipped with a tusk about the length of my index finger. Flared out, they revealed a lipless mouth filled with teeth that were meant for shredding flesh.

 _Oh, yes. Definitely, a carnivore._

His broad head reminded me vaguely of a triceratops bony frill, and there were even triangular-bony structures similar to horns running over the top and outer edge of his skull. The skin started black near the crown and gradually became a lighter grey around the deep-set wolf colored orbs.

I blinked, startled to find him watching me. He didn't seem to mind me perusing him, but I would say his eyes were a little guarded.

"Nina?"

"Hmm?" My eyes fell away from Pakkun and landed on my brother who held up his empty plate.

"More please."

I smirked. "Piggy."

He shrugged. "You're the one always whining about getting fat not me."

My eyes narrowed, "Must be nice to be a string bean with the metabolism of a hummingbird."

He gave me a toothy grin. "If you want I'll take your share and help you out."

"I'm not fat!"

He raised a questioning brow. "Then why do you complain about it all the time?"

"Because I'm a girl!"

"Why do girls whine about problems they don't have?"

I huffed, flipping the French toast over. "Again. Because I'm a gir-"

A loud crunch interrupted our spat and drew both of our attention to the alien in the room. Pakkun ignored us, picked up another egg and ate it, shell and all. A black serpentine tongue flicked out and cleaned the tusk tipped mandibles.

" _Cooool_ ," Danny breathed in awe of Pakkun.

I gawked too but not for the same reason as Danny. Cool? Not the term I would've used then again we probably looked like naked mole rats with clothes to Pakkun. How could such a fine ass and prime masculine body be stuck with that face?!

 _Cool? Seriously, why did everything my brother deem as_ cool _have to come with claws and fangs?!_

* * *

 **A/N: hope everyone enjoyed the update! Sorry about mistakes. I feel like it may not be up to snuff but I had fun writing it. Onto other news, I have two updates on my other stories 1) my new story _Dead Planet _ is up and of course, its part of the Alien/Predator verse. It's a suspense/horror, rated M for good reasons (sorry no romance in this one). 2) Followers of _Deadly Curiosities _ I'd like to apologize for my tardiness to update this week. I actually wrote ch. 18 but reread it and decided to go a different direct so bear with me. I plan on updating it next week. **

**P.S. Thanx for all the favs, follows, and comments! It makes my day when I receive those in my e-mail. I never expected so many reviews for this story and it absolutely gets me fired up to continue!**

 **Guest Reviewers: I love hearing from you guys!**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Glad you're enjoying it! I will continue! XD**

 **Felix: Ah thanx! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!**

 **Black Cross0: Lol, of course, I'm continuing! And it's because of the love! And to answer your question. I have thought of making the chapters longer but this story is for fun. I noticed when I started writing longer chapters, I started taking it too seriously. This story is just playing out one page at a time. And I feel like the shorter chapters keep readers enwrapped and on the edge of their seats. I feel like longer chapters might ruin the effect. But if a chapter comes out longer I want it to flow, be natural, and not forced.**

 **kimah36: I love Danny too! He's been a fun relief compared to other characters I've written. Glad you enjoyed the fight scene. I rewrote it twice. The first time it got too serious. I think the rewrite worked out better. Thanx for reading! Can't wait for the next update for your story!**

 **rybkakoi: Lmao, the potty training toilet had my friend in stitches too. I'm so glad you found it funny! I also enjoy coming up with the titles so that the readers have an idea of the craziness to expect.**

 **Kay: Glad you love it! Yes, more updates to come! ;)**

 **crystalga: The mix of seriousness and light-heartedness is exactly what I was going for. More updates to come! Punkin- that's funny. I guess if people haven't seen Naruto they won't know who Pakkun is or how to say the name but I think it adds to the comedy and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!**

 **sousie: Lol, I think its a toss up. Danny definitely adds to the overall humor of the story. I'm not sure it can stand without him. Honestly, I think I would adore a brother like Danny but at the same time, you want to smother him! Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **Tenfangirl: I'm happy you like it and I love Danny too!**

 **Jazz'z Favorite Human Girl: It makes me so happy you thought the last chapter was awesome because honestly, I didn't feel all that great about it. But holy crap the response I received really let me know I was heading the right direction. Thank you!**

 **09sasha: Lol, you're so sweet. Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **angel897: Glad you found it exciting and fun! Thanx for the support!**

 **Rasha007: Btw I would totally keep him too, lol! Hope you liked the latest chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**My Sister's Taken**

"We should go look for him!" Danny whined.

"He'll be f-" I grunted. "-fine Danny." On the other hand, I was having a bitch of a time removing the bolts from the BMW's bell housing. Years of working with my father on various cars gave me a decent amount of muscle but cars can be fussy and a monstrous pain in the ass.

"But Nina he's been gone for hours! What if he doesn't come back?"

The wrench slipped from my hands, pinged off the engine block and clattered on the cement floor below. "Damn it!" Growling, I straightened from my prolonged bent position and rubbed my lower back. The dog tags clinked as I stretched and I tucked them inside my bra absently. Danny sat on the work bench on the opposite side, his head hung low, legs absently swinging.

Sighing, I grabbed a towel and wiped my hands as I approached him. After breakfast, I showered and when I came down to bitch about the nuke worthy annihilation of my bathroom- Pakkun was nowhere to be found. Lucky him because when I saw the aftermath of _Independence Day_ in my front yard I had a real itch to kill an alien. Most of the anger passed, though. The dead grass would grow back, but the same couldn't be said for Danny had he been killed, so _grudgingly-_ I had to let Pakkun off the hook for the yard.

 _I would've died too..._

I shooed the thought away. Yea, I would've died too but then I remembered the feel of his hand at my throat. The recollection of those claws killed any warm fuzzies I might've felt. Why did he have such misplaced aggression when it came to me anyway?

"Nina?"

Danny's soft, almost broken voice brought me out of my confused musings. The forlorn expression on his face had me wrapping my arms around him. He pushed me away at first but eventually returned the hug. I kissed the top of his head and rested my chin in his hair. "Danny..." The words escaped me. What was I supposed to say?

 _Stupid, Pakkun. I told you not to let me regret this!_

"I'm sure he'll be back soot sprite." I hated lying to my brother but damn it the last time Danny looked this broken up was when our daddy died.

 _You better not make a liar out of me Pakkun!_

Danny pulled away, his face already brightening. "Of course he will! We're his family now!"

I smiled softly. Pakkun and I may not see eye to eye, but the creepy alien made Danny happy.

"-ick, Nina! You're all sweaty!"

I grinned and tightened my hold, rubbing my face in his hair. "I can't help it if I _lurve_ my baby brother!"

"Get off!" He grunted, attempting to push me away.

"Nope. Don't wanna."

"Nina-"

Our gazes snapped in the direction of the open shed door as a large imposing figure became outlined by a current of unknown energy and blue sparks. Instinctually I moved in front of Danny and grabbed the closest tool within reach. In the blink of an eye the stealth field -thank you _Star Trek_ \- dropped and Pakkun gave me a derisive snort.

I glanced at the tool in my hand. "Danny why the hell is the toilet wand out here?!"

"Pakkun!" Danny ignored me and jumped down. "Where did you go?" He demanded, bouncing around the aliens legs.

Growling, I tossed the wand back on the shelf and gave the freakazoid an indignant scowl. "As if you weren't creepy enough already pal."

Aside from some of his almost primitive weaponry, it wasn't really a stretch to learn that Pakkun's technology was far more advanced than our own. The government would cum in their pants if they got their hands on said technology, right after shitting themselves when they saw Pakkun.

"Can you make me invisible too?!" Danny chirped, his green orbs shining with excitement.

"Oh yes, because keeping an eye on you isn't hard enough already," I grumbled while making my way around the car before crawling underneath it. The cement was cool on my exposed belly. I dawned a pair of black tactical pants, black steel-toed boots, and a black sports bra this morning. The shed was like an oven, and I'd rather get a little grease on my skin than wear a long sleeve shirt or coveralls.

"Stay out of trouble." I grabbed the wrench and crawled back out. "Pakkun don't make Danny invisible."

Pakkun snorted.

"Why not?!" Danny protested.

"Just go play, Danny," I said firmly.

"You're so uncool, Nina!"

"Mm-hm."

 _Drained all the fluids? Check. Disconnected exhaust, coolant, wiring, and lines? Check. Uncool sister? Check._

Danny stomped a foot, and I knew without looking that he was pouting. "Whatever. Come on, Pakkun. She'll be zoned out for hours..."

I kicked a step stool over, hoping it would help take some of the pressure off my back. It didn't give me much of a lift. Stretching up on tiptoes, I resigned myself to torturing my spine and went back to removing bolts. Sweat dampened my skin and hair, making my life all the more difficult as I kept having to wipe the salt from my eyes. The stitches pulled tight and made me draw in a hissing breath, but I worked through it, determined to the engine out of the BMW today.

"Come on. Come on." I chanted, under my breath. The bolt wouldn't give, and I was afraid of stripping the threads because then it would be even more of a bitch to remove. Heat spread along my back, and I could feel the sweat rolling down my spine. The sun must've decided I wasn't sweating enough and took a big dump of radiation right over the shed.

"-Pakkun!"

Danny's whiny tone stole my attention, and I found Pakkun quite literally hovering over my shoulder. Well, that explained the sudden heat wave. I frowned, annoyed once again for not being able to hear or at the very least sense his approach. Seriously, I was gonna have to put a bell around his neck... or a shock collar. He leaned a little closer, towering over me and making me bristle at his proximity, however, his gaze wasn't focused on me per se but on what I was doing.

Pakkun was so much taller than me -even with the aid of a step stool- that his chest brushed the top of my shoulders and the back of my neck as he reached over and wrapped his fingers around my hand which held the wrench. A hint of cedar and sage from the soap he'd used tickled my nose, and I decided, his natural cologne smelled better, despite being musky. I felt the bunching of his abs against my upper back and his taut pectorals pressed even more firmly into my shoulders. I shivered at the feel of the power coursing through him and how little of it, he had to expend in order to pop the bolt free. It fell, making sharp plink, plink, plink noises as it bounced a few times before hitting the floor and rolling god only knows where. I froze. Afraid the hunter draped over me like a second skin might hear the rampant beat of my heart.

 _Fuck. Why do I keep getting into these situations with him?_

My ears twitch at the sound of his even, shallow breaths behind the helmet. The skin at the nape of my neck prickled as I felt his gaze drift over the pulse point. I swallowed.

"If Pakkun gets to help then so do I!"

My whole body jerked at the sound of Danny's voice. Pakkun made a low, raspy noise in the back of his throat, which I interpreted as irritation and possibly bewilderment. His species may or may not be naturally aggressive, though, I was guessing they were, Pakkun seemed truly nonplussed by his reactions to me (that makes two of us) and perhaps that's why he grew more hostile in my presence.

Pakkun's hand released mine and he pulled away from me sharply. With the loss of his heat, the air hit my sweat-slick back and I shivered which was ridiculous when the temperature outside had to be a hundred.

I glanced over my shoulder and gave Pakkun a wary look. He'd let go of me, moved so that we were no longer touching but he stayed close enough to be my personal shadow. The slits in helmet were black, so there was no telling what he was thinking, but I did notice the subtle way his fists were flexing at his sides.

In my periphery, Danny appeared alongside us, once again oblivious to the obvious danger as he hustled his way up onto the stool with me. I grabbed the edge of the car, nearly losing my balance as Danny shoved himself in front of me but a large hand on my back steadied me. The pads of his fingertips were rough and calloused, the tips of his claws grazed my skin and goose flesh sprouted in their wake.

To my relief, Pakkun moved to our left and stood beside us. The hand at my back remained, keeping me balanced on the tiny stool as Danny bounced on his toes.

"I can't see!"

I glanced down at him, a little perturbed by his shoving but also grateful for his intrusion. "I dunno know soot sprite. Working on cars is dangerous and requires behaved _adults_."

"Hey!" His greens eyes flicked up to me, cheeks puffed out. "You weren't an adult when you started working on cars with dad- and I'm a big boy! I'm almost eight and a half, Nina!"

Sometimes it's just too easy. "Alright," I feigned a relenting sigh. "But make sure to do everything I say okay?"

He nodded, vigorously. "Pakkun's gonna help too."

Pakkun snorted, and I tilted my head up, meeting his amber orbs. "You don't have to stay." I licked my lips and added almost hesitantly, "But the help would be appreciated."

He cocked his head as if in thought then gave me a single, short nod.

I slipped off my gloves and slid them on Danny's hands. "Alight. Let's get er done."

...

A short time later, the engine hung from the chain hoist, connected to the ceiling and I had to admit things had gone a lot more smoothly with the help of an alien who could probably bench press a small Toyota. Danny pushed the shop broom, cleaning up debris, although I think he was doing a better job spreading them around. I finishing the removal of the transmission, which had a jack situated under it so it wouldn't just fall out.

After removing the last of the cross member bolts, I only had to take it out. Transmissions don't weigh as much as an engine but at almost two hundred pounds it wasn't going to be easy. Unfortunately, I only had the one hoist, and the BMW took up more space than previous jobs.

"Over there Pakkun."

I looked at Danny, who was showing Pakkun where to set the radiator. I blinked, taken aback at the sight of Pakkun without his helmet, unsure of when he removed it. Watching the way his muscles bunched beneath his skin had me wondering if Pakkun was cold blooded because he didn't appear to be sweating. He wore interesting gloves, which I noticed before but hadn't cared to examine, they were black and fingerless -like weightlifters breathable gloves- with spikes on the knuckles.

My eyes narrowed, I couldn't tell if the spikes were metal or actually a part of his anatomy. Upon closer inspection, I also noticed a slight webbing between his fingers and with the crab-like mandibles it made me think his species might've been aquatic or amphibious somewhere down the evolutionary chain.

Pakkun's spine stiffened and he cocked his head to look back at me then turned completely, making soft clicks and straightening as he did so. My eyes roved over the complete package from his thick muscular thighs, up the sinewy tapering of his hips, to the steely contours of his abdomen, and up the plains of his broad chest, to his corded neck, and finally met those hooded lupine colored orbs. I smirked, "Dude. Straight up, your bodies false advertisement."

I recalled ogling that sexy rump and couldn't believe it belonged to the same body as that face.

His brow ridge dipped down and he tilted his head in obvious confusion.

I chuckled, "Come help me with this."

He did, though, he looked thoroughly bemused. My gaze flicked up to his broad forehead, and I frowned at the scar above his left eye ridge. I hadn't noticed it before but to be fair I had a hard time seeing past the mandibles. It looked old and appeared to be self-inflicted. It vaguely looked like the kanji for strength, though, I knew it wasn't a Japanese character.

Once again, Pakkun stepped into my personal space but I barely noticed as my hand moved of its own accord and I stretched up on tiptoes and traced the alien symbol with my fingertips. Pakkun leaned down and into the touch and closed his eyes apparently liking the attention. My eyes slid south and I found similar glyphs etched into his tusks as well as a silver band around the bottom right one. The silver band around his tusk looked almost exactly like the bands in his dreads, except this one had a black, triangular stone set into it. Somehow I doubted it had anything to do with fashion.

 _Rank, maybe?_

Pakkun's eyes slid open ever so slightly, regarding me impassively. Slowly he pulled away, and I felt a flush creep up my neck, thinking I'd done something to annoy him. Pakkun's head tilted up and away, and I heard the barest stirring of a growl in his chest. It took me a second to catch up, but I realized he wasn't growling at me, but at something outside.

Alarmed, I stepped beside him, ignoring the way he leaned just a little in front of me. "What is it?"

Danny was on the opposite side of the shed. He glanced at us in confusion then followed our line of sight. The growl in Pakkun's chest grew and vibrated along my skin in its intensity.

 _Could it be more of those spidery things?_

With a snarl, Pakkun quickly snatched up his helmet from the work bench and in the blink of an eye went invisible again.

"Pakkun?"

He didn't respond.

"Nina, there's a car coming down the drive," Danny said, sounding a little anxious.

"Shit." I walked over to Danny's side and squinted. "Double, shit." I knew that car. An old, blue Jeep Wrangler with a distinctive gold and tan emblem on the side.

"Pakkun!" I growled. "Don't do anything stupid! This is not a _bad_ guy."

I heard a subtle snarl but couldn't determine its origin or if I'd imagined it.

I grabbed a towel from the bench then shoved Danny towards the house. "Danny go inside. Pakkun usually follows you. We can't let the deputy see him and we sure as hell don't want Pakkun thinking we're in danger."

Danny gave me a mock salute and scampered up to the house. I'd braced for an argument but apparently Danny was worried too. Although, Danny was probably just worried the government would take his friend away while I, on the other hand, was worried Pakkun might take the lawman as a threat.

Quickly I closed the shed doors and made my way up to the drive, all the while scanning the yard for any sign of the alien. The stealth field would keep Pakkun hidden which was both good and bad. It meant he could freely roam without being seen and unfortunately, it also meant I wouldn't see him coming and neither would the deputy if he attacked.

 _Peachy._

In front of the house sat my daddy's baby, an old 96 olive green Bronco I inherited after he passed. I rounded the other side and leaned against her, hoping to appear unruffled and apathetic, even though inside I was a nervous wreck.

The Jeep parked behind the Bronco and a moment later, Deputy Trey climbed out of the tall vehicle and my inside quivered a little. Once upon a time Trey had been a quarterback for the Saints before a knee injury took him out of the game for good. The muscles beneath his dark roast skin were sculpted to perfection and lean. The shirt he wore barely contained his chest and each subtle breath threatened to pop the buttons free.

Trey's keen eyes took in the yard then snapped in my direction, tension evident in his stiff posture. And with a voice like a dark whiskey, he asked, "Nina? What the hell happened here?"

We've been friends for years, and there was no mistake the edge of worry in his gruff tone. I glanced at the yard and hit a mental road block. What the hell could I say?

My eyes found Trey's as he sauntered over, and I gave him a nonchalant shrug. "The filming of _Alien vs Predator_. You missed the camera crew out here yesterday."

Trey raised a brow, stopping withing arms reach and leaned a hip against the Bronco, mirroring me. "A movie?"

"Yup."

"That's the lie you're sticking with?"

I nodded, "I got to play the part of a sexy android."

He snorted, amusement lighting his molten chocolate irises. "Fine. Be evasive. Just as long as no ones giving you trouble."

"Do aliens count?"

He sighed, having no idea I was actually being quite truthful. It was funny.

"Woman I'd believe you if you said a werewolf, this is Louisiana after all, but little green men?"

 _Yeah not so little or so green._

Trey's eyes went back to the yard, and I watched the humor visibly wilt. His eyes started towards the house and I straightened, trying to steal his focus. I ran a hand through my hair, placing the other on my hip and hid a smile as those dark orbs landed on my chest as I made a show of stretching.

"So Trey-"

I was caught off guard by Trey suddenly moving and touching the skin just beneath my breasts.

"-what the hell-"

"Did Adam do this?!"

The anger his tone cut me off mid rant, and I glanced down. He was inspecting the grapefruit sized bruises peeking out from under the sports bra, not coming onto me. I'd forgotten all about it, and instantly recalled my first encounter with Pakkun and how he'd sent me flying across the room.

 _Adam?_ He thought my ex-boyfriend had hurt me. A logical conclusion, but I had to set him straight otherwise he'd pay the bastard a visit.

I snorted. "No. Just an overzealous pug dog."

"Really?" He asked, taken aback.

I shrugged.

Trey straightened and seemed to quietly contemplate if I was lying about Adam or not. He knew why I'd broken it off with Adam and would probably still pay the bastard a visit later just to verify. Trey was a good guy. We'd never make it as a couple, our personalities clashed too much -not mention the fact that he's a cop, and I've been involved in some shady business- but definitely one of my closest friends. Actually, I was relatively certain he was my only friend.

 _Glad he can't see the claw marks._

"Alright," he said slowly. He noticed a streak of grease across my belly and chuckled. With a playful smile, he ran a finger through it, causing it to smear more. A snarl jerked our gazes towards the house and in my periphery I saw Trey's hand reflexively go for his gun.

"It's fine!" I said quickly, more for Pakkun's benefit than Trey's.

"What was that?"

"An overzealous pug dog," I hissed.

"What?" Trey's eyes briefly met mine before skimming the house again. "That sounds more like a pissed off cougar."

"Nope."

His face twisted, "Is it dying?"

"It's gonna be," I said under my breath.

Slowly, very slowly his attention returned to me. He didn't take his hand from the gun but he seemed to take what I said at face value. "Danny's still bringing home strays then huh?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

As if hearing his name, Danny stepped out of the house and ran over to us.

"Everything okay, soot sprite?"

We were gonna have to come up with some covert name for Pakkun... other than Pakkun!

"Yup," he smiled up at the deputy. "Hi, Trey!"

"Sup, little man?" Trey smiled back and ruffled Danny's hair much to my brother's bemusement.

Danny shrugged, "Why are you here?"

"Well," Trey's eyes met mine. "I came to ask your sister fo-"

"My sister's taken," Danny said matter-of-factly, what's more, he did it with a smile that looked suspiciously devious. This wasn't my brother. It was some sort of evil doppelganger!

"Danny!"

"What?" He blinked up, looking oh-so-innocent but I'd seen the devil behind those eyes and knew the truth.

"Really?" Trey crossed his arms over his broad chest, looking amused. "What's his name?"

"Pa-"

I pressed my hand over Danny's mouth, and the little brat stuck out his tongue and slobbered all over my fingers. Danny squirmed away while I wiped my hand on my pants. Trey laughed as Danny dodged my attempt to grab him again and made a bee-line for the house.

"Later, Trey!"

"Damn it, Danny!" I shouted after him. I sighed, rubbing my face as he disappeared back into the house.

 _'My sister's taken'- seriously?!_

"Still a hand full I see."

I groaned, "You have no idea." I straightened and decided I really wanted him to leave. "Trey, don't take this the wrong way but I'm tired so..."

"Right," he cleared his throat, I think to cover another laugh. "Wanna play a honeypot?"

My eyes narrowed, and I crossed my arms over my chest. On top of being a deputy, Trey also moonlighted as a private investigator. He was good at it too, but our parish is small, and there are things about your neighbors you can't unlearn. And by playing a honeypot, it meant he wanted me to lure someone into cheating on their spouse.

"Not if it's anyone I know."

"It's not. The mark doesn't even live in our parish."

"How much are we talking?"

"The client, a Misses Finch, will pay five hundred a photo. Plus the normal rate."

I gave a low whistle, "That's a pretty penny. Rich lady, huh?"

He nodded. "She wants to drain her soon to be ex-husband dry."

The Bronco was hot against my skin as I leaned back against it. "Alright give me the dirty details."

"Mr. Finch likes his girls young and with big racks."

I gave a derisive snort, "Shocking. Let me guess. He's got a thing for short plaid skirts, white button up shirts, pigtails, and knee high stockings?"

He chuckled, "Not school girl young but close. And apparently, he's a fang-banger."

My eyes rounded, "Your shitting me?!"

"Nope."

I groaned, "Alright. _Queen of the Damned_ was sexy as hell. I can work with this, but I am _not_ doing any weird stuff... unless he looks like Lestat. _Please_ tell me he looks like Lestat!"

"Not even close, darlin'."

"Damn."

Trey laughed at my misery as he made his way back towards the Jeep. "Friday night, Nina. You might wanna make arrangements for Danny 'cause it'll probably be a long night. I'll hit you up with more details later." He opened the door and gave the yard one more look. "Are you sure there's nothing you wanna tell me?"

"Nope."

He gave me a narrowed eyed look but didn't press the issue. "Later, Neens."

I watched him leave, until the Jeep was no longer in sight then turned and headed for the house.

 _Now, how much do shock collars cost?_

* * *

 **A/N:** **Holy crackers guys thanx for all the freaking love! The reviews have been amazing and make me smile every time I read them and are uber motivating! This chapter wasn't as comical but I hope everyone enjoyed. Sorry for mistakes. Thanx again for all those Favs, Follows, and Comments!**

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	6. Chapter 6

**Duunnn Dunnn... Duuunnn Duun... Duuunnnnnnnn Dun Dun Dun Dun**

Soapsuds and grease swirled down the drain as I scrubbed the worst of the day away. After working on the BMW for so long, I resembled a tortured paint canvas in a kindergarten class. The water was hot, almost scalding in its intensity, but- _damn_ it felt so good on my aching muscles. So good in fact, I barely noticed the duct tape holding the plastic curtain together. Ah, duct tape- the essential part of any rednecks toolkit. You know along with bait hooks, beer, dynamite, etc. All of which have come in handy over the last couple of days- of course, except for dynamite... not that I had _any_... you know because that would be breaking the law, and I'm all about the law.

Smelling faintly of cedar and sage (yes my brother and I share the same body soap- I'm cheap), the soapy lather trickled down my flat tummy, then curled around my thighs, and finally, it reached the stitched wounds in my calf. I breathed a shallow hiss, from the sting of the soap but it faded just as quickly as it occurred. I lifted my foot and balanced my weight on the edge of the tub. My fingers gingerly swept over the claw marks, they were puckered slightly and red from the constant stretching.

 _Perhaps, I should check Pakkuns stitches-_

Instantly, I shooed the thought away. The alien and I, teetered on a delicate balance of you stay the fuck out of my way, and I'll stay the fuck out of yours. However, no matter how hard I tried, somehow I always wound up in compromising positions with him. Our relationship seemed to be in a constant state of 'what the fuck?'. Occasionally there were moments we tolerated each other, maybe even enjoyed each other presence, but then something always brought us back to the predator-prey dynamics.

I touched the wounds again, following the crude stitch job. Would my life ever get back to normal? A frown tugged at my lips, normal meant a life uninterrupted by aliens. Instead of jumping for joy at the thought, I found myself slightly distraught by it, which only raised several more disturbing questions about my sanity.

How was it possible that an alien, one who obviously had a hidden agenda and a god complex that puts surgeons to shame, managed to become an integral part of our lives and in such a short time no less? The only answer that came to me was Danny. Without him, Pakkun never would've shown up here. The alien brought my kid brother so much happiness that a part of me was actually terrified of him leaving. Despite my misgivings and uncertainty, I needed Pakkun to stick around.

 _Has it really only been three days?_

In that narrow window of time, I'd brained an alien, sewn said alien back together, fought other aliens, and somehow managed to find time to work and take care of Danny. I deserved a damn metal for this crap!

Growling, I ducked back under the warm spray and rinsed off, the heat of the water was no longer comforting. I wiped water and soap from my face, blinked a few times and noticed the bedraggled curtain again. And suddenly I found myself recalling another naked individual in this shower. A tall, masculine brute who had no business being on Earth, much less my shower, hunched beneath the spray. I blanched as the vivid image sent sharp tingly sensations straight to my pinkest parts and immediately I turned on the cold water.

 _Did I seriously just get hot for an alien?! For crab-face?!_

Apparently, it has been _far_ too long since my last romp in the sheets. You try explaining to potential boyfriends you're already raising a kid at age twenty, it's the equivalent of pouring salt on a slug- they shrivel up. And one night stands aren't my thing, besides I'd still have to try and sneak a guy into the house at night then sneak him back out the next morning before Danny woke up. Comedies have taught us this never works and always leads to scarring memories that end with the phrase 'We were playing rollercoaster!'.

The image of Pakkun resurfaced, and I closed my eyes. The chilling water wasn't doing jack shit to quell the bizarre heat pooling in my lower belly.

 _This is fucked up on so many levels..._

Even as I thought it, I was already turning the handle back to blistering. In the privacy of my bathroom, I gave my imagination free rein and tried very hard to control my breathing, which had turned ragged after remembering the feel of the raw strength coursing through Pakkun's incredibly powerful body as he pressed up against me.

I groaned. "My life is so fucked up..."

...

 _'Duunnn..._ _dunnn... duuuunnnn duun... duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun...'_

"Seriously?" I whined, pausing at the bottom step, there was no mistaking that theme music. "What? Your dreams don't have enough ammunition involving teeth?"

Danny smiled, and my brow raised even higher at the get-up he wore. "Don't worry, Neens, Pakkun could totally kick Jaws's ass!"

In my periphery, I noticed the alien standing in the kitchen entrance, and I tamped down on the embarrassing flush trying to creep up my neck. What happened in the shower had been a mistake because now I couldn't even look at him.

 _Get a grip, Nina!_

Danny bounced to his feet, "Now we can play!"

I cocked my head and took in his ensemble again. He had a red bandana tied around his face and sported a green TMNT t-shirt which gave the impression of abs. The shirt was too big and looked rather hysterical with the abs coming to an abrupt end at his knees. At least, this time, he wasn't carrying steak knives and pretending they were his twin sai. Yeah- I'd put an end to that real quick.

"Come on, Pakkun!" He jumped up and down on the broken pull out, and I could hear the springs crying out for mercy. "You can be Mikey!"

My eyes flicked back to Pakkun, he leaned against the frame, filling the space with his large imposing physique. If anything _he_ would make an appropriate Raphael, and not the exuberant, orange-clad knucklehead. Once again he'd dawned the helmet, and I was beginning to wonder if it had anything to do with our atmosphere or if he simply wanted to remain elusive.

"-TicTac will be Splinter!" Danny continued.

"Then who am I?"

Danny landed on his knees and gave me a 'duh' expression. "Your April, Neens."

 _Suuuuure, Mr. Broody gets to play Michelangelo while I'm stuck playing the overtly sexual twit._

"And why pray tell do I have to play April? This is 2016 Danny, the damsel in distress trope has been exhausted." One of these days I'd get Danny the original comics because April O'Neil was actually a badass. The TMNT movies are easily some of Danny's favorites, right up there with _Transformers_ , but I seriously was not fond of a certain brunette.

Danny's face pinched cutely as he tilted his head in confusion. "What's a trup?"

"Trope," I snorted softly. "And it means-" I added a whiny note to my voice. "-why the heck do I gotta play the girl that always has to be rescued?!"

He arched a brow, "Because you're a _girl_ , duh."

"Chics kick butt too! The _Black Widow_ , _Wasp_ , _Omega Sentinel,_ _Tigra_ \- any of those ringing a bell?"

"They have super powers, Nina. You don't."

I couldn't decide if I was more insulted by the insinuation of not being a badass or that he'd said it with a straight face. Once upon a time I was the cool sister, who could do no wrong- then an alien came along and stole my thunder. The prick.

"Are you saying I don't kick butt?" Smiling impishly, I met his green orbs and took a step in his direction.

Danny's eyes widened ever-so-slightly, excitement sparking in their depths.

"If Pakkun gets to be Mikey, then I call dibs on Leo."

Uncertainty flit across his face, but then the scowl returned full force. "You can't change the rules. Beside's your not cool enough to play Leo, Nina!"

"But Raph," I lowered my voice and channeled my inner Leo. I crouched, watching in silent humor as Danny's eyes rounded and glittered with excitement despite his feelings towards me breaking his so-called rules. "A true ninja is a master of himself-" I grabbed the sheet and leaped onto the mattress covering my brother as he squealed and squirmed. "-and his environment!"

"Nina-" He tried to sound serious but he only laughed harder. "Your ruining-" More belly laughs. "-the game!"

We collapsed in a heap, tangled in the sheets. Danny finally surfaced, his head popping out of the covers and I fell into a peel of laughter as his dark red hair stuck out every which way from the static cling.

He scowled, but then his mouth quirked up into a mischievous grin. "Oh no!" Danny sprung to his feet and ran over to Pakkun. "Quick Mikey!" He grabbed Pakkun's large hand and yanked while pointing at me with an accusing finger. I was confused as hell until he continued. "Leo's been brainwashed by the Shredder! We have to stop him before he does something crazy!"

My eyes widened, Danny was trying to get Pakkun to help him gang up on me. I stiffened and blinked up at Pakkun, releasing a breath as I realized he was staring down at Danny in obvious confusion. Head cocked, he made a bemused sound in the back of his throat as Danny continued to tug.

"Pakkun!" He groaned, "You're not playing right!"

Pakkun merely snorted in disinterest.

An unexpected yawn crept up on me, and I suddenly felt drained. I stood, which drew Pakkuns attention to me. I smiled tiredly and decided to help the guy out before he lost his patience with my kid brother. Despite his saint-like tolerance for Danny's shenanigans, I was sure he had a breaking point -everyone does- and Danny's very good at finding it.

"Come on, soot sprite." I stretched, loving the feel of my back popping. "It's time to simmer down for the night anyway."

Danny puffed out his cheeks, "But I'm not tired."

"Well, I am." I sighed, running a hand through my wet hair.

He crossed his thin arms over his chest, and I could see the tantrum coming so I continued in an attempt to calm the brewing storm. I just didn't have it in me to bicker. I was that damn tired.

"Want some grub?"

He opened his mouth, I think to argue but then realized I'd offered food and his face lost its sternness. The quickest way to calm the beast of any guy regardless of his age -and probably species too- is the promise of food.

Danny glanced down at his belly then back at me and nodded. Crisis averted.

"Come on, Pakkun." He dropped the aliens hand and ran past me. I cringed in sympathy as the springs in the pull out made a pained creek as he bounced on it. Pakkun snorted, not looking the least bit inclined to move from his sentry position. My eyes met his through the slits in the helmet, and my earlier lapse of sanity in the shower came flooding back. Wildly my heart leaped in my chest and those amber orbs narrowed as if he could hear it. Dropping his gaze now meant losing face, so I scraped up my dignity and refused to blink.

"Pakkun, quick! You're about to miss the best part!" Danny called from behind me.

Pakkun didn't drop my gaze as he straightened and with exaggerated slowness he stalked towards me. _Stalked._ Pakkun was stalking me. Like a jaguar, the muscle beneath his dark diamondback colored skin rippled with barely contained power. The gleam in his eye said I was prey, but there was something else there as well. I swallowed hard, unable to interpret the excitement and the challenge brightening those orbs to wolf gold.

I dropped his gaze, no longer worried about saving face. Daddy didn't raise a fool. A dominance game with Pakkun is not one I'd win. The alien stopped directly in front of me. So close, that my breasts swept against his searing flesh with every inhale. He made a few soft clicks, drawing my wary eyes back up to his intense gaze. Quietly he regarded me, head tilting to the side, causing his dreads to cascade over his shoulder. Staring into his fierce orbs now, I realized something had changed between us. Twelve hours ago I wouldn't have been able to hold his gaze this way without physical retaliation. So sometime between this morning and now, his attitude towards me took a hard left turn.

Head swimming with confusion, I decided to test these new boundaries just a little bit. Tentatively, I touched his forearm, unable to get my fingers even half way around. The muscle tensed then swelled into my palm, and I grabbed the molten steel firmly and smiled tiredly up at Pakkun. "I'm afraid we don't have much food left." A pang of real distress squeezed my chest. How could I possibly feed Pakkun and my brother? Pakkun is really fucking big, and I imagined it took a truck ton of fuel to keep him happy. "I'll figure something out tomorrow but will you be alright for the night?"

Pakkuns eyes suddenly lost their intensity and he glanced over at Danny, watching the boy momentarily before looking back down at me. He gave a slight nod, amber orbs narrowing as if in displeasure, but I had no idea what he was truly thinking. I patted his arm then headed for the kitchen, feeling his eyes on me as I went.

Frustration didn't even begin to describe how I felt upon open the fridge and finding nothing but disappointment. A few Mountain Dews and beers wouldn't get us very far and neither would the bag of long forgotten cheese now growing its own ecosystem. In the cupboards, I found much of the same and my heart sank. The bread looked okay, but with only three slices left, I thought it better to save it for breakfast which left a single, lonely bag of popcorn.

 _Beggers can't be choosers._

I snatched the bag, whirled around and stomped over to the microwave, threw the bag in, then stabbed a plastic fork in between the door to keep it from flying open. Almost everything in this house is jimmy-rigged in one fashion or another; it ain't fancy, but it's ours.

 _Dammit, how am I suppose to feed Danny and a freaking behemoth?_

The thoughts whirling in my head were becoming ugly and panicky. Danny was my only real concern. Yet, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel slightly responsible for taking care of Pakkun now too- which was absolutely _ridiculous_!

The microwave dinged, and I was so wound up I literally jumped, thankfully no one -especially a certain alien- had seen the embarrassing display. Quickly I dumped the popcorn into a big mixing bowl and headed for the living room.

I blinked in surprise when I found Pakkuns back facing me. He'd taken up his sentry position again, bracing himself against the kitchen entrance in a way that suggested calm and collected, but the subtle flexing of the muscles along his spine said otherwise.

Frowning, I approached him cautiously, given our history I figured it was probably best not to accidently surprise him. Not that I thought I really could sneak up on him, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Pakkun didn't move as I stepped up beside him, the guy filled a lot of space and I couldn't squeeze between him and the door frame. I touched his arm with the tips of my fingers and instantly snatched them back when he growled. It was barely audible over the movie, but it vibrated the air and teased the fine hairs along my arms up. We were back to the same old dynamics.

 _So much for change._

"Listen, Pakkun I'm way too tired for this shit. So could you _please_ move your ginormous ass out of my way?!"

He didn't take offense to my sharp tone and dismissed me completely with a subtle huff, but to my surprise he actually straightened, allowing me to pass. He wasn't submitting, merely standing down which was actually evidence of change, even if he was still a standoffish prick.

Pakkun's gaze seemed to be intent on the window behind the sofa, yet it felt as though all his attention was solely focused on me. I walked over to Danny and ignored the pinpricks running up and down my spine. Danny leaned into my side before I even got comfortable and immediately grabbed a fist full of popcorn without so much as blinking and shoveled it into his mouth. I watched him munch, ignoring the screams coming from the tv.

My brow furrowed, and I ran a hand through his soft red locks.

His face pinched, but his eyes never even broke away from the screen as he batted my hand away. "Nina, I'm trying to watch this."

I huffed in exaggerated exasperation, attempting to lighten the mood and smiled softly as I leaned into him. "Jeez, you can tell that sharks totally fake."

He looked up, completely offended. "Nuh-uh!"

"Ya- _huh_ ," I teased, purposely trying to get a rise out of him.

"That shark is so the real thing, Nina! Look at it!"

I glanced at the screen and watched as Jaws chomped on the boat, working his way towards Quint. My lips pressed thin as the great white bit into the man's leg. How can Danny seriously wanna watch this after what happened with those bug aliens?

"No way," I shook my head. "You can totally tell those teeth are cardboard."

"Nuh-uh! It wouldn't work in water then Nina!"

I shrugged, "Meh, it's still fake."

Danny got a determined look in his eye, and I put my hands up in surrender before he went on a rant about the movie. I held up the popcorn bowl as a peace offering. He took another fistful and settled back down. Sighing, I laid down and ignored the way my stomach grumbled. I pushed the bowl towards Danny so he could finish it. I was hungry, but Danny needed to eat more than I did.

Sleep tugged at my lids, and for awhile I fought it, the thought of gnashing teeth and spindly black bodies making it hard to want to close them. I blinked, my tired gaze fell on Pakkun as I glanced in his direction. The alien did nothing, yet the moment I met those cool amber orbs I knew it was okay to shut my eyes.

...

A cacophony of screams and thrashing noises brought me back from the world of the Sandman and dumped enough adrenaline in my system to restart a dead man's heart. I shot straight up, kicking the popcorn bowl in my haste and sending it scraping across the floor and kernels flying everywhere. For a few seconds I thought we were under attack again, then I registered _Jaws 2_ playing and growled in annoyance. My heart was beating so hard it hurt, all because once again I'd been forcefully roused by the tv. I glared daggers at Jaws, ready to jump aboard the crazy train with Captain Ahab and go fishing.

Beside me, Danny mumbled incoherently in his sleep and absently kicked me. I scooted away when his dagger-like toenails scraped my thigh. Absently, I eyed the room just to be on the safe side and found no trace of the spidery aliens. I frowned. Actually, there were _no_ aliens at all in the living area or standing guard by the kitchen entrance.

My lips pursed in worried, confusion. If Pakkun disappeared then- no. No, he wouldn't disappear or at least my gut was telling me he wouldn't, but his absence still bothered me.

I glanced back down at my baby brother and laid the sheets covering me, over him. Quietly, I got to my feet, telling myself I was only going to look for Danny's sake, even though I knew it was a lie. I was actually worried about the big, broody alien -stupid I know- the guy made Jaws seem more like a goldfish when it came to terrifying.

In the kitchen, I grabbed my clothes from earlier in the day and changed into them. My phone was still in my tactical pants pocket, and for once I was glad I hadn't done the wash. Score one for being lazy.

The moment I stepped outside, the motion sensors picked me up and flipped on the lights, and I was temporarily blinded. I blinked away spots and cautiously walked down the porch steps. The night was warm and humid, the bugs singing a chorus of nonsensical, ruckus loud enough to drowned out the crunch of burnt grass under my boots. The yard appeared empty if you ignored the constant shifting shadows of the vehicular graveyard and the trees.

Using the flashlight app on my phone, I carefully picked my way to the shed. Once inside, I turned on the overhead fluorescents and set my phone on the work bench. Pakkun wasn't in here, and I decided traipsing around the yard, in the dead of night, looking for an alien who could fucking cloak himself was stupid.

 _He'll come back. He did before, right? Right._

Unease tugged at my insides, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep anytime soon. I picked up a socket wrench and went back to working on the BMW. If I stayed out here long enough, the alien was bound to show up. And hopefully, the two of us could have a _civil_ conversation. My heart pounded at the thought of being alone with him, but if we were gonna continue to live together, then I needed to know more about him and why the hell he was here in the first place.

After a while, I lost track of the time and completely zoned out with _The_ _Dark Side of the Moon_ playing quietly in the background and keeping me company. My daddy raised us on _Pink Floyd_ , _Led Zeppelin_ , and _Metallica_. It brought back a lot of fond memories him and I, and occasionally my uncle working on cars together. Both military men, they raised me to be self-reliant and how to throw a mean right hook.

I smiled absently, loving the warmth of the night and sweat dampening my clothes. Neither of them would condone the work I was doing now, but they would be proud of how well I kept our little family together.

 _Eclipse_ cut off mid song, I rolled out from under the car and sat up on the creeper. From here I couldn't see my phone sitting on the bench. Sighing, I got to my feet, and when I retrieved the phone, I found it was dead.

 _Oh, right. You're supposed to charge these stupid things._

I tossed it back on the bench and rolled my shoulders, in an attempt to work out some of the stiffness. The silence of the night gave me pause, after all, this is the South, and there's no such thing as a quiet night. The only time critters cease to make a noise is when there's a predator prowling nearby.

My stomach did a flip-flop, and I clenched the socket wrench in my hand until it hurt. Louisiana is home to a slew of predators, I've dealt with gators, bobcats, and even the occasional black bear but after the other night, none of them were at the top of my things-to-be-freaked-out-about list.

"Pakkun?" I called hesitantly, staring out into the darkness. It didn't help that the theme song from _Jaws_ was playing on a loop in my head.

 _... duunnn dunnn..._

I swallowed hard, eyes fruitlessly searching the shadows. If it was Pakkun, I was so gonna- fuck I don't know! How do you get revenge on an alien who probably outweighed you by three or four hundred pounds?! And claws!- let's not forget those!

 _... duuuunnnn duun..._

"Pakkun," Bravely- nope, scratch that. _Stupidly_ , I walked out of the shed and into the grass. "I know it's you!" I didn't. "You can cut the ninja shit now! I get it- you big scary alien! Me- puny human or ooman or whatever the fu-"

In the edge of my periphery, the world distorted slightly. I whirled, wrench held out to the side and at the ready like a police baton. Nothing was there. And nothing jumped out and said 'boo'. I exhaled and spun in a slow circle. Nothing.

 _Maybe it's just a fucking opossum-_

Soft, almost inaudible clicks sent my hackles straight up. Slowly, I turned and saw a blue current and sparks as Pakkun decloaked.

I blew out a breath and rounded on the bastard. "What the hell Pakkun?!" I growled, cocking a hip and leveling my best death stare on him. "And here I was actually worried-"

The alien stepped partially into the pool of light, and my eyes widened in sheer horror. I swear my heart stopped then it slammed into my ribcage in a panicked attempt to escape.

 _...duuunnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun..._

"Y-you're not Pakkun..."

* * *

 **A/N: Cliffhangers blow, trust me as an avid reader on this site I dread them too but they build the suspense and I just couldn't help it! Hope everyone enjoyed the update. I'm about to drastically change the dynamics of this story! Honestly, the awesome feedback is probably what lit the fire under my ass to get this chapter finished this week. It should be known that the only reason I've started taking this story more seriously is because how many readers are enjoying it. It really has shocked me and I'm so grateful for the love. Thank you, everyone, for the comments they are such a boost! Also thanx for all the favs and follows. Sorry for mistakes. Working on the next chapter now! **

**gr8 m8: Thank you for your review and suggestions. I do have Halloween plans for this story but it'll be later on. It makes me happy that you took an interest in my story. :)**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: It would probably take a lot to get a Yautja drunk but it would make for an interesting chapter! So glad you are enjoying it! Thank you!**

 **Anonymous guests: Thank you for your delightful comments! :)**

 **sousie: Lol, probably poor Pakkun and Trey, but mostly Trey I think. ;)**

 **09sasha: Well I freakn' love knowing that you freakn' loved it! Thank you!**

 **AI-Omicron: So glad I can make you laugh. This last chapter wasn't as funny but I hope you still got a kick out of it. And don't worry the story will become very interesting in the following chapters.**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Lol, yeah I had to throw in the AvP tongue and cheek. I'm really pleased with how much you enjoyed it because that last chapter and this chapter were more difficult to write than the previous four. Thank you for the love!**

 **Black cross0: You'll definitely see more of Trey in the future. And Danny's devious side helps move the story along. As far as Adam goes... nah I don't wanna spoil it ;)**

 **angel897: I'm glad you still find it fun to read! Thank you for the love!**

 **DiamondDi: Wow thanks for the compliment Diamond! Your so sweet! Glad you enjoy it. Hope you liked the new update too!**

 **crystalga: I promise there will be more... much, much, much but the dynamics are about to change and become more interesting I think. Hopefully. Thanks for the love!**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Well I know this chapter probably won't get a belly laugh but I hope it makes you smile anyway. So happy you enjoyed the last update! :)**

 **Tenfangirl: I'm glad you're loving it! Because I love that you love it!**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Thanks for the love! I hope you liked the latest twist!**

 **waterflame4991: (wipes sweat from brow) Attempting to make it believable while keeping it fun and light is difficult. It makes me happy that you thought so. Thank you!**

 **Felix: Ah, your so sweet! Lol, so happy you enjoyed it.**

 **Kay: Thank you for the compliment! It gave me warm fuzzies! Although, I've read most of the comics, the books, and know the movies by heart, Pakkun is my design. I wanted my own pred! ;)**

 **KittyKatt25: Honestly, I haven't made any future plans for changing the POV's in this story. I may considerate it though if that's what the readers want. Thank you for your review! So glad you are enjoying it.**

 **rybkakoi: Your review was sweet. I really hope this newest update keeps you enthralled.**

 **SilverFang4190: Ah, shucks. Thanks for the compliment! I know I couldn't resist it ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome to The Shit Show AKA My Life**

"There are _two_ of you?!" Okay granted this wasn't the time to amaze anyone with my stellar counting skills but come on! There are two fucking crab-faced aliens?! Was there a sign hanging somewhere in the universe claiming my property as a galactic dumping ground for the weird and the creepy?! If this is _Futurama,_ then I want _Bender_ dammit! Not the _Bizarro_ , hulked out versions of _Zoidberg_! Where's the fourth wall? Because I seriously want out of this half-baked comic book!

The alien lowered into a crouch, the movement jarring me from my mental breakdown and back to the shit show preview of my death. In the dark, it was difficult to make out distinctive features other than the blatantly obvious. He was _big_. Like, he shops for his armor at Mastodon's R' Us- _big_! Although he was roughly the same height as Pakkun, Pakkun was apparently considered lean muscle when it comes to this species because this guy had muscle on his muscle. Or the Silvester Stallone effect.

He cocked his head sharply, stretching his thickly corded neck while making a serious of unintelligible clicks. Fear hit me with the overwhelming force of a tidal wave and I found myself taking an involuntary step back. The alien tensed, I think in anticipation of a chase, so I forced myself to freeze. He would outrun me anyway, and I was no match for his strength.

My worst fears were realized when I heard the sound of the front door opening, and the alien looked passed me. It's as if all the oxygen in the world had been sucked out of the atmosphere and I could no longer breath.

"Nina?"

My heart slammed in my chest at the sound of Danny's confused voice.

 _Go back inside Danny!_

The door creaked then clicked closed. "Nina? Are you out here?"

My fingers flexed around the wrench, and I shifted my weight to the balls of my feet. The aliens head snapped back to me, registering that I'd gone from scared kitten to pissed off momma bear. Oh, I was definitely still afraid, the difference in our strength was laughable, but I'd take on the world to protect Danny.

 _There's no way I can best him!_ Let's be realistic here, shall we? Punching this guy would be like swatting a grizzly on the nose with a fly swatter. You know what that equals? _Sudden_ and _gruesome_ death! I'd managed to knock out Pakkun, sure, but he'd been injured and was more concerned about my brother's well being. Right now the odds of me knocking this big guy out were el zilcho!

The alien surged to his feet and let loose a snarl that would make the dead roll over and bury themselves deeper. In the blink of an eye, he cloaked, and I did the only thing I could do. I screamed, "Pakkun!"

"Lobomon!"

My back connected with the earth, the oxygen exploded from my lungs, the alien decloaked, and I found myself staring at a pair of blades mere inches from my face. Fingers splayed over my chest, claws digging into my flesh, the alien pressed into me until I could no longer draw in a breath. The tips of his dreads stung my face as his head jerked in the direction of the house and he snarled.

Eyes wide I followed his line of sight and saw Danny running down the porch steps.

 _No!_

I couldn't take in enough air to shout at my brother. The wrench was miraculously still in my hand, and I struck out at him. The blow never landed, he caught my feeble attempt with his free hand in a grip so tight I felt the bones rub painfully together. I cried out. He shoved my hand back down and growled, lowering himself over me until his dreads curtained my face and I could see my own terrified reflection in the soulless slits of his mask.

"Lobomon that's my sis-"

The earth shook; a thunderous roar boomed loud enough to rattle my teeth. The alien on top of me snarled but was cut off by a deafening crack, and suddenly I could breathe. He staggered back, forcefully shaking his head like a dog, his long dreads making snap, snap sounds as they sharply smacked his flesh. The big guy snarled in my direction, but he was no longer focused on me. Pakkun filled my vision, crouching over me and snarling at the other alien. Sharp clicks poured out from behind the big guy's helmet with an obvious undertone of hostility and anger. Pakkun grabbed me; I yelped as he forcefully crushed me to him and scrabbled for purchase as he rose without warning. The big guy didn't get to his feet; he stayed crouched, body hunched and muscle rolling beneath his taut skin. The guy's control was obviously on a hair trigger, and here I thought Pakkun was the scariest thing since _Gremlins_. Hundreds of those tiny, toothy critters would only make bite-sized snacks for this guy.

"Lobomon!"

My eyes snapped to Danny and widened as he approached the alien strung tighter than a cobra readying to strike.

"Danny-" I struggled in Pakkun's grasp, but the alien was having none of it and pressed me even harder against him. "-stop!" Why the hell wasn't Pakkun doing anything?! My baby brother was about to be dog chow- wait? Who the hell is Lobomon?

Showing zero fear, Danny stopped within grabbing distance of the hostile alien and stomped a foot. "She's my sister, Lobomon! You can't hurt her- even if she's being a Mononoke."

The big alien snorted in disdain and leaned back on his haunches. I felt his eyes on me and shivered as the wrist blades retracted back into the gauntlets with an audible _shink_.

"What the fuck is going on?!"

Pakkun tensed, but I think it's because my voice had reached a pitch high enough to shatter glass.

Danny scowled at me, "Jeez, Nina, drama queen much?"

"He tried to eat me!"

The big guy heaved a haughty huff and rose to his full height.

"He wasn't gonna eat you- he just..." Danny's face scrunched in thought. "I think he was testing you."

"For what? Did he wanna know how loose my bladder is?!" At the moment very. And if Pakkun continued to squeeze me the alien was in for a warm surprise.

Danny opened his mouth to make a snappy comeback, but the big guy stepped in front of him and snarled at me. The animalistic sound scared the ever-loving crap out of me -almost quite literally- and Pakkun snarled back.

The two males faced one another both appearing to be equally pissed off. My eye began to twitch with all the roar, roar, roars, and click, click, clicks. A headache pulsed behind my eyes and finally, I'd had enough and snapped, "English mother-fuckers! Do you speak it?!"

Their heads snapped in my direction so fast they whipped themselves -and me, thank you Pakkun!- with their dreads and together they snarled at me.

"They don't speak ooman, Nina."

"The hell they don't!" I pushed against Pakkuns steely chest, he made an irritated bark in the back of his throat, and I punched him in the shoulder. "The feelings mutual, buddy! Now put me down!"

He ignored me completely, hand flexing around the underside of my thigh, pulling me flush against him.

 _Asshole!_ I thought about decking him with the wrench but realized I'd lost it at some point. So I attempted to excavate his brain with a glare while silently wishing to hell I had heat vision.

 _Explode, explode, explode!_ No kaboom. Fuck my life.

I glanced at Danny, found the brat smiling and my eyes widened. "Danny... who is Lobomon?"

Danny stepped out from behind the big guy and pointed up at him. "He is."

I licked my lips and somehow managed to keep my voice neutral. "What's going on?"

"Lobomon came here with Pakkun." Danny's face scrunched and he looked between the two aliens. "I think they're brothers."

 _Brothers?_

"Then where has he been?"

Danny shrugged, "Probably trying to repair their ship."

My brows shot up, "Ship?"

Danny's eyes got big with excitement. "Yup! It's super cool Nina!"

I glanced up at Pakkun and met his amber orbs through the helmet. "You guys crashed?"

He gave a sharp nod.

Okay. Things were making a little more sense now. "So then what the heck was up with the um... kiande amedha?"

Lobomon snarled and furiously began to click, stealing my attention. I couldn't see his eyes, but I felt the sting of their rage like a blade cutting a path along my nerve endings. Either he didn't approve of me knowing what a kiande amedha was or he just didn't like me in general. Pakkun growled back, apparently, he didn't give two shits what Lobomon thought. My eyes flicked back to Pakkun's when he made an impatient noise. The other alien snorted and there was no denying the contempt in that sound but I ignored him and focused only on Pakkun's amber orbs.

"Kiande amedha- essscaped." Guttural and smoky, his voice was vaguely serpentine, hitting the S's a little hard. And like before it sent a wave of pins and needles prickling across my skin.

"Escaped? During the crash?"

He nodded.

I glanced at Lobomon. The harsh lighting coming from the house wasn't all that helpful, but now that Lobomon wasn't trying to gut me I could see similarities between the two. "Are you guys brothers?"

Again a nod from Pakkun and a snort from the peanut gallery.

"Then where has your brother been this whole time?" I'd already asked, but I wanted to hear it from Pakkun. If they'd only been repairing their ship then Pakkun had no reason to stick around here.

He tilted his head, "Kv'var."

My brows raised, "Huh?"

He growled low in annoyance and seemed to be searching for the right word. Either that or he just couldn't pronounce it.

"HunT-ing..."

My gaze snapped to Lobomon, stunned that he'd spoken. I met the soulless black slits in his helmet for two seconds then dropped them, remembering Pakkun's reaction.

"When the bug aliens escaped," I glanced up at Pakkun, "you followed Danny and kept him- er us safe, while your brother hunted down the other escapees- that about right?"

Pakkun gave the barest of nods.

"So then why did you come here in the first place? Er- to Earth I mean." I hedged. Why not? They were being freaking chatty, so I might as well push for more answers.

Lobomon growled in obvious disapproval. Pakkun regarded me quietly for a long moment, ignoring his brother. His amber orbs hardened and suddenly I was looking into the blackout view slits. Damn.

Gently, Pakkun set me on my feet and I knew I wasn't going to get anything more out of him tonight. Danny practically materialized beside me, grabbed my hand in his small ones and yanked with the strength of a freaking bulldog and a beloved chew toy.

"Can we keep him too?"

I groaned. The last vestiges of my strength were zapped right out of me with that sentence. I started towards the house, intent on crawling under the covers and sleeping like the dead. Tomorrow I could freak out, but at the moment I stuffed it all into a mental filing cabinet chalk full of goodies that would send even the most level-headed psychotherapist into the arms of a straight jacket and a padded cell.

"Wait?! Nina?!"

Danny caught up to me and bounced around like a deranged chihuahua. "Lobomon can stay too, right?"

I snorted, "Do I have a choice?"

Danny giggled, "It'll be awesome, Nina! You'll see!"

If I didn't get a good night sleep soon, I foresaw a lobotomy in my future.

"Did Lobomon save your life too?" The question leaped out of my mouth before I even finished the thought. It's been bugging me for days how Pakkun acts towards Danny- and now there was Lobomon who equally seemed to be protective of him. What the heck was that about?

"Yup!" Danny turned his head and suddenly stopped. "Hey, they're gone."

I stopped too and followed his line of sight. The aliens were gone, but I wasn't counting my chickens before they hatched this time. "They'll be back Danny."

"I know," he said tightly. Quickly he caught up to me again and kept pace, but his eyes still drifted around obviously searching. The forlorn look on his face tugged at my heart strings. He really was afraid of them leaving. Our mother's vanishing act right after our daddy's death had done a number on his ability to trust.

 _Pakkun won't do that..._ And I was surprised at how much conviction I felt in that thought.

A question occurred to me then, one I should've asked before the brothers disappeared. If Lobomon was here now did that mean all the spidery aliens were dead?

"Lobomon? Isn't that a transformer?" It wasn't but I needed to distract myself and Danny. The question still had merit though because I didn't recognize the name.

He huffed in exasperation, "Lobomon's a Digimon."

 _Oh-good-god! Who's grave did I piss on to deserve this?_

I groaned, "This shtick again? Does he know you named him Lobomon?"

He shrugged, "I don't think he cares."

We climbed the porch steps and entered the house. The drastic change in temperature made me shiver. My eyes fell on the broken pullout, the damn bed needed to be fixed, but at the moment it looked like heaven. I collapsed, not even bothering to change, go pee or kick off my boots. The lights went out and Danny, crawled in next to me.

"Hey, Nina?" Danny whispered.

"Hm?"

"We have the coolest family."

I smiled into the pillow, "We have a seriously fucked up family." Not to mention dangerous. Pakkun was challenging enough to live with, but Lobomon would be like living with fucking nuke waiting to go off.

He giggled.

"Go to sleep brat."

"Mononoke."

With a relenting sigh, I curled into the sheets and didn't even crack open my eyes when I felt the mattress dip. Warmth spread along the curve of my spine but I barely registered it before sleep overtook me.

...

"But I don't wanna go!" Danny whined, spewing little flecks of toast everywhere as he did so.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Absently, I wiped the counter. In my head, I was thinking about groceries and how much I could afford. Danny didn't want to go shopping and honestly, I didn't feel like dragging him along. But the idea of leaving him alone with _Thing One and Thing Two_ seemed about as responsible as leaving him alone with... well _Thing One and Thing Two_.

Danny pouted and glanced at Pakkun for assistance. I eyed Pakkun in my periphery, he'd taken up his sentry position in the kitchen doorway but instead of watching us, I realized his cool gaze was steadily watching Lobomon who intern was watching me. No idea why, but from the moment I woke the big guy had zeroed in on me like a hawk does a rabbit. I don't think his intent was to eat me, but I was pretty sure he'd hurt me if given the chance. Again, no idea why.

Surreptitiously, I studied Lobomon beneath my lashes. In the light of day, the similarities between the brothers became clearer. For instance, other than being a few shades darker, Lobomon shared the same diamondback pattern as Pakkun. In fact, they mirrored each other, which led me to believe they may be more than simply brother but twins. I'd have to verify the theory later, though. Lobomon didn't seem keen on my being in the _know_ about things.

"Please, Nina!" Danny begged.

The toaster popped, and I placed the last piece of toast on Danny's plate before looking back at Pakkun. He met my eyes and even as I asked, I already knew the answer. "I'm going to leave for a few hours. Can I trust you to take care of Danny until I get back?"

He nodded, but I hadn't missed the way his amber orbs tightened. Maybe he thought the act of babysitting was beneath him.

"Yes!" Danny hopped off the stool, snatched his toast and after squeezing passed Pakkun he made a beeline for the door. "Last one outside's a rotten egg!"

Pakkun huffed. I snickered, then smiled serenely when he glowered at me.

To my immense relief, the brothers followed Danny out. Briefly, in passing Lobomon met my eyes, I glimpsed one amber orb the same shade as his brothers and the other was a gray so light it might've been silver. Like Pakkun, they both seemed to be raised as hunters. However, the roadmap of scars crisscrossing Lobomon's chest, abdomen, and arms were more violent in origin. Unlike his brother who calculated every single move, Lobomon apparently was the type to slaughter first and not give a damn later.

Lobomon snarled, startling me out of my perusing.

I blinked and took a step back without meaning too. Lobomon snorted, saw this as a weakness and continued on his way.

"Damn it," I breathed, unsure why I'd been holding my breath. Seriously, couldn't one thing in life be easy?

Quickly I cleaned up the kitchen, took a military speed shower, and had enough time to even blow dry my hair before heading back downstairs. In the living room, I paused, feeling like something was out of place. No. Not out of place, but something had definitely been added. On the shelf above the tv, where I used to stash the shotgun was the sloping skull of a kiande amedha. I stared at in bewilderment then remembered the night of the attack. Pakkun had taken a trophy.

Morbid curiosity drew me to it and had me reaching out to touch the bug aliens formidable teeth. The front ones were flat and blocky, vaguely reminiscent of human teeth which I found to be more disturbing than the rest of the pinky length fangs protruding from the upper and lower jaw. I ran my fingers over the eyeless dome and swept them down the full length of the skull. The alien was dead but even being this close sent a chill skittering down my spine. The frisson of fear made me angry.

Scowling, I turned on my heel and headed for the kitchen, deciding that I probably didn't want to get caught caressing a dead aliens skull while being buck naked. Part of me, the part scared shitless by those bug aliens wanted to throw the thing out, but at the same time, it felt disrespectful to do so. Besides, I was certain there was a cultural or ritualistic reasoning behind it. However, I've lived around hunters -the human kind at least- long enough to know that mounting your kills on the wall is just another form of cock waving.

I was knee deep in dirty clothes, sniffing various articles in an attempt to find something vaguely clean when the front door banged open. I peeked out of the entrance in the midst of yanking on a pair of jean shorts and blew out a breath when I realized it was just my kid brother.

"Nina!"

Wide-eyed and looking very anxious, Danny spotted me and raced into the kitchen. The kid was so wound up his words were slamming into one another. "NINA!Nina!Nina!Meninblack!Meninblack!"

Alarmed, I placed my hands on his shoulders. "Wow, wow. Calm down Soot Sprite. What's the matter?" My face darkened, "Did Lobomon do som-"

"Nina!-"

"What?!"

"-Men in black!"

My face scrunched in confusion, then understanding dawned, and the color drained from my face. My brother was not referencing Will Smith.

Briskly, I walked over to the window by the front door and carefully peeked out. "Shit."

Danny hadn't been kidding- two black Escalades were parked in our drive and four official type people dressed to the nines in black business suits -which were probably tactical suits, meant to look sharp and hide sharp objects- stood at the ready beside the vehicles. And on the side of the SUV's was an embossed gold W, which wasn't an acronym for any branch of the military as far as I knew.

"Danny," I spoke calmly and quietly. "Where are Pakkun and Lobomon?"

"I don't know! They spotted the cars coming down the drive and went invisible."

 _Shit._

"Danny," I opened the door, and the balmy late morning heat smacked me in the face. "Stay in the house."

* * *

 **A/N: (Rubs hands together and laughs with glee) Don't you guys love my cliffhangers? I think I'm getting pretty good at it. Okay if you guys don't know who _Bizzaro_ is- seriously just type in Superman Bizzaro and you'll laugh. Let me tell you guys I had so much fun writing this chapter and I've already started the next! I'm sure everyone was expecting some epic battle but this just happened to be the direction my brain picked so hopefully no ones upset about the twist. There's still plenty of battles to be fought in the future. As always thanks for all the favs, follows, and reviews! Sorry for mistakes. Definitions for Yautja language will be at the bottom of the page. **

**KittyKatt25: Was it a doozy? Oh, I hope you enjoyed the turn of events!**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Lol, did you like my cliffy this time? ;) I really hope I'm keeping you on the edge of your seat!**

 **Felix: OMG your reviews are never! EVER! Annoying! I love them! And I love the questions. They keep me motivated and give me ideas!**

 **Guest reviewers: Thank you so much! You guys are my anonymous cheer squad!**

 **angel897: Hope this chapter was just as exciting and interesting to read! You keep reading it and I'll keep writing it ;)**

 **Black cross0: Hope this chapter didn't disappoint. The preds won't necessarily speak ooman *chuckles* but they will become more verbal as they grow comfortable. As far as female characters go, Nina hasn't even left the house yet (poor girl) but there will be other female characters later.**

 **Jazz's Favorite Human Girl: First off I'm totally jealous that you're Jazz's favorite! Lol! I hope you enjoyed the update! And thanks for the compliment :)**

 **Rasha007: Lol, did you like my twist? Oh, this is so much fun! Your last review sent me into a peel of laughter! XD**

 **KTCameleon: I'm so happy you're enjoying the story! I will keep on writing! Thank you for your encouragement and help. :)**

 **sousie: Awe, thank you! I really tried to work it in where she brained Lobomon but couldn't find a place for it in this chapter. I really hope you enjoyed it. :)**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmperor: LMAO check out Pakkun's 'goods'! You make me giggle. In time my Emporer, all in due time. ;) Hopefully, you weren't disappointed by this chapter. Lobomon's not necessarily the bad guy but he will add more to the story. But fret not! The story is young and there is plenty of time for twists and turns.**

 **09sasha: You're awesome! Thanks for the review! I hope you enjoyed the update.**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Thanx for reading! It makes me happy that you're excited!**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: After writing the first paragraph of this latest update I seriously thought about you and hope like crazy it made you laugh! Your enjoyment is my enjoyment. ;)**

 **waterflame4991: (blushes) Ah, shucks thanks for the compliment! Lol, I think I only added to the tension in this update. Thank you so much for your kind words! I will keep sharing! XD**

 **Kay: I know I'm cruel, lol! I get a kick out of your reviews, Kay. They always make me smile. I will keep writing! I swear! If you haven't noticed I do try to update ever week and always post on Thursday. Hope you loved this latest chapter just as much. Working on the next chapter right now ;)**

 **EbonySapphire: Uh-oh is right, lol. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx for the love :)**

 **anetaspicakova5: Well, you're super too! Thanx for reading!**

 **emart423: Awe, thanx! I'm so happy you're in love! Hope you loved the update just as much! XD**

* * *

 **Definitions~**

 **Ooman: human**

 **Kiande Amedha: hard meat, or Xenomorph**

 **Kv'Var: Hunt**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here Come The Men In Black**

Barefoot and unarmed, I stepped outside the house and walked out to the dirt drive. The rough, calloused pads of my feet weren't sexy but they eased the sting of the sharp stones and twigs underfoot. Boots would've been smart- a _gun_ would've been smarter, but apparently, I am incapable of forethought. My cell phone was dead, abandoned in the shed, and I had no means in which to defend myself besides my silver tongue. Score one for the men in black on the intimidation scale.

Wearing jean shorts and an old tank that read: _I wish these were brains_ , scrawled across the bust; I doubt I even made a blip on their threat radars. And at 5'3" my short stature didn't help, but being confident is all about attitude and that I had in spades.

I came around the Bronco and leaned against her sun warmed frame oh-so-casually. A good southern woman would've come out and bore down on these trespassing clowns with a shotgun, but since mine was melted and these weren't your typical yokels, I collared the crazy-bitchy redneck. For now.

The four suits had spread out, each one moving in a different direction of the yard. One of them, a big Russian dangerously close to hulking out of his clothes, spotted the burn patterns and deep gouges in the earth. He tapped his ear and spoke quietly to whoever was on the receiving end of the incognito spy-worthy comm.

If I didn't take control of this situation real quick I foresaw a bloodbath. Anger at their blatant disrespect burned my insides with the intensity of a solar flare. This was my home, and I wasn't about to allow a third invasion to happen.

I spotted movement in the SUV closest to me and marched up to it. The suits took notice of this and stood at attention, their straight spines, and hardened demeanors indicated they'd all been military-bred. None of them moved, but their eyes zeroed in on me like a target in the crosshairs. Point two for intimidation.

"Hey!" I smacked my palm on the hood, "I don't give a shit if you're K or Jay- wait! Let me rephrase that. Unless you've got Will Smith in there, then you better get the fuck off my property!"

I said I'd collard the crazy not muzzled her.

The driver side door opened and a woman stepped out. Like the other suits, she was military honed and the steely glint in her piercing brown orbs said she'd seen the worst the world had to offer and she'd survived. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a severe no none sense bun, and her black slacks and jacket were tailored to make you follow the curves she _wanted_ you to see. If this woman wasn't carrying at least two guns, it meant she could probably disarm and kill you without breaking a sweat. The really dangerous ones don't need to rely on weapons to take you out.

Our eyes met, and she gave me an almost imperceptible nod. I returned the gesture, appreciating her respect, but not fooled by it.

The passenger side door opened and my scrutinizing gaze raked over the guy in charge. Other than instinct, I had no way to back up that assumption but the blue power tie he wore suggest I wasn't far off. It was the only beacon of color outside the gold W stamped on the vehicles. Its purpose was to draw the eye, draw your attention, make you connect with the man behind the suit as he smiled at you in a disarming way. His smile only set my hackles on edge, being a military brat myself I knew what to look for, and this guy could probably make it rain nine different shades of hell on my life. My daddy used to say if it looks like a snake then you better fucking assume it's venomous.

Unblinking, I stared him down, keeping tabs on his team in my periphery. The head honcho's smile never wavered, but the slightest tightening at the corners of his somber blue orbs indicated he was anything but happy. His salt and pepper hair looked professionally coiffed, not something you would commonly see from anyone who'd once served as a soldier. I might be wrong, but the way he looked down his beaky nose at me suggested he got to this position through deep pockets and power, not hard work and learning to live off of a few hundred bucks a month.

Mr. Deep Pockets cleared his throat, "Good morning, Miss-" He paused and pulled out a nondescript vanilla folder. I had no doubt he already knew my name, age, birthplace, and maybe even what the tattoo on my inner thigh was. But the main purpose of the file was to unnerve me. It did. "-Miss LeBlanc."

I cocked a brow, unimpressed. In this day and age, everyone's lives were only a few keystrokes away from discovery. And a few well-paid keystrokes got the information people would rather keep hidden. Mr. Deep Pockets didn't strike me as someone who worried about privacy laws.

"My name is Roy Stevens," He continued and then gestured towards the woman, who appeared to be mentally dissecting me. "And this is my colleague Kelly Lewis, and we represent the Weyland Corporation."

 _Weyland?_ An alarm blared "Danger! Danger!" inside my head. I'd heard that name before, but for the life of me, I couldn't recall where, nor determine why it tripped an alarm in the first place. He'd also said _represent_ instead of on _behalf_ of Weyland which implied he was near the top of the totem.

I stared at him impassively, hoping to convey boredom and disinterest. "Whatever you're selling I'm not interested." Of course, I realized they weren't here toting bibles in the back of those Escalades, but I despise mind games. Mr. Stevens seemed to realize this, his demeanor changed and he gave me a smile that I recognized instantly, I'd seen the same toothy expression on _Jaws_ just last night.

"On July 9th, at approximately 0100 hours our satellites picked up an anomaly in this vicinity. With your permission, I'd like to conduct a thorough search of your property."

 _July 9th? That was Saturday night... and Danny brought Pakkun home on Sunday morning..._

Coincidence? Only if it was snowing in hell. Damn, but if I refused, it would appear as though I had something to hide. I did. Two, somethings in fact. Not only the brothers but what about their ship? Was it on my property too? I don't recall hearing or feeling anything that remotely suggested aliens crash landing in my backyard. If I had, I would've at least set out some deterrents like maybe giant bug zappers.

"Funny," I tilted my head. "You didn't seem worried about my permission five minutes ago."

His smile turned predatory, "I apologize for that. We haven't exactly had the warmest reception from the locals."

I snorted, "Folks around here are territorial and paranoid when it comes to official-looking types. You're lucky to have walked away with nothing more than a door slammed in your face instead of an ass full of buckshot."

Mr. Stevens blue orbs sparked with humor, he seemed to be enjoying our back and forth. Perhaps I'd come at this all wrong and should've gone for the shrieking crazy redneck act after all because I didn't like how he was looking at me.

"Sir," Kelly moved up beside Mr. Stevens.

"Hm?" He leaned in as she turned away, giving me her back.

In Louisiana, a large percentage of the population speak a French-based Creole. Unless you're born into it, it's difficult to learn. I'm far from fluent, but I knew Kelly was speaking in French and managed to pick up on a few words.

"... si ... Xenomorphs... ici... etre... mort..."

 _..if... Xenomorphs... here... be... dead..._ I mulled it over for a second. _What the heck's a Xenomorph?_ My blood ran cold. _Surely they're not talking about the twins. Fuck, I hope not._

I blinked, startled to find Mr. Stevens watching me. He smirked, I think he realized I understood some of what Kelly had said.

The door to the house opened, and I stiffened, listening intently to Danny's quick steps. And for the first time, I sincerely wished I had the vocal range of Pakkun so that Mr. Stevens could hear the growl rumbling in my chest. I didn't like the calculating way in which he watched my baby brother. That look said a million different things, and none of them were nice.

 _What the hell, Danny!_ _Why can't you ever stay in the house?!_

Danny wrapped an arm around my waist and at first, I thought it was because of the obvious tension in the air, that is until the bite of cold steel pressed into my lower back. I'd know the feel of our daddy's service Beretta anywhere, unlike me, Danny apparently had the gift of circumspection. Smart kid.

The barrel scraped my skin as he tucked it into the back of my shorts. Out here in the sticks, we teach our youngins the ins and outs of firearms. In Lousiana, it's a way life, and we're aggressively territorial. So I knew without looking the Beretta was primed and had the safety on.

I squeezed Danny's shoulder, and he looked up at me, but my eyes remained on Mr. Stevens as I spoke. "Go back in the house Danny."

"But- Nina?" He whispered, hugging me to him more firmly.

"It'll be alright, Danny." I gave him a slight push, but the kid didn't budge.

When his other arm came up to wrap around my waist I spared him a glance. Danny eyed the company goons with a scowl before meeting my eyes. "I've got your back," he said fervently, green orbs mirroring the same fierceness I'd seen in our daddy's eyes. He smirked, "Just like a turtle shell."

I snorted, unable to downplay the prideful smile tugging at my lips. I shifted, making sure to put myself in front of him.

Danny tucked himself behind me without letting go of my waist. Rubbing his face in my back he whispered, "The dogs are loose."

We didn't have dogs, but I understood the cryptic message loud and clear. Pakkun and Lobomon never made it back to the house, they were still out here, and I had no doubt they were eavesdropping on our conversation with the Weyland goons. My eyes flicked past Mr. Stevens to the densely shadowed woods beyond. Lobomon was a bit of an unknown. But I strongly suspected Pakkun, would attack if he thought we were being threatened.

Kelly tilted her head, her eyes softened slightly as she watched my brother. And it became immediately apparent that she was a mother. She opened her mouth as if to speak then closed it, eyes going distant as she touched her ear. Both Kelly and Mr. Stevens craned their necks to look back in the direction of the main road. I followed their line of sight and spotted Ian's dinosaur tow truck and trailer heading down the long winding drive.

I breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. Someone had warned them about Ian. "You asked for my permission-" They both turned back to look at me. "-which clearly means you're not here in any official capacity. But, it's also clear that you've been stalling me and have continued the search behind my back."

The corner of Mr. Stevens mouth twitched, but he said nothing. Not even an apology this time.

I scowled at him, "Obviously whatever the fuck you're looking for isn't here. So I'm only going to say this one more time-" My voice dipped into a low growl. "-Get. The. Fuck. Off. My. Property."

His eyes narrowed on mine, but this time, they held no emotion at all, making it impossible to discern what he was thinking. Ian leaned on the horn and the brakes squealed as the big ol' rust bucket came to a stop mere inches from Mr. Stevens SUV's bumper.

Ian hopped out, and Kelly placed herself in front of the boss. The suits hadn't moved but their readiness to strike- skyrocketed the tension into the stratosphere. Ian took it all in stride, and with his signature lazy grin he sauntered over to me. "Looks like you've got yourself an infestation Neens." His shoulder pressed into mine, and I found it incredibly comforting. Ian and I weren't close by any means but we take care of our own out here. "Need a hand?"

I bumped his shoulder back in silent thanks. "Nah, the men in black were just leaving." My eyes met a pair of intrigued blue ones, "Isn't that right Mr. Stevens?"

"Yes," he said evenly. "Nina, I apologize for the inconvenience." It was a lie. And I didn't like how he'd dropped the formalities. He held my gaze for just a moment more, and I got the distinct impression this wasn't over. "Just one more question, Nina and we'll be on our way."

I tensed but nodded for him to continue.

"What happened to your yard?"

I smiled cheekily, "Independence Day got a little out of hand this year."

Mr. Stevens brow raised. In retrospect, an alien throwdown movie reference was probably not the smartest idea, but I just couldn't help myself.

"Fireworks?"

I nodded. Relieved he'd completely missed the joke and took my words at face value.

"And your leg?"

Shit. I'd completely forgotten about that. The shock must've shown on my face, but I did my best to recover. I shrugged, "This is Lousiana Mr. Stevens. There are lots of nasty critters out here."

"Nasty critters, hm?" He smiled, and it left me cold. "Yes, I'm sure there are." He turned to his colleague Kelly, who'd been watching our interaction with interest and said, "Let's go."

The men in black didn't even give us a second glance as they climbed into the Escalades and put the big SUVs in reverse.

"Nina," Ian rounded on me and looked down at my legs. "Shit- what the hell happened? Who were those guys-"

"Ian," I grabbed Danny and pushed him towards Ian. "Watch Danny for me, will you? I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" He barked.

I turned and ran for the tree line.

"Nina?!" Danny called.

"I'll be back!" I shouted, "Just stay there!"

The long dirt drive leading to the main road zigzagged for almost a mile, but if I cut straight through the property, I might make it in time. Legs pumping, I raced into the thicket. I knew our land like the back of my hand and dodged every root, gopher hole, and a variety of other tripping hazards with ease. It hurt like a bitch to run barefoot, but I wanted to confirm my suspicions.

The balmy heat and humidity were smothering, and it wasn't long before sweat began trekking a path along my spine. Something shimmered in my periphery, and I jumped like a spooked rabbit as Pakkun suddenly decloaked beside me.

"Don't let them see you," I breathed harshly, winded from the steady sprint.

Pakkun snorted. With those long, powerful legs he could've easily outrun me, but he kept pace. A shadow passed over me. I looked up and saw Lobomon soundlessly leaping from branch to branch. Given his size and weight, it was impressive how the leaves didn't even rustle. In fact, even Pakkun made very little noise.

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of my lips. I was running with possible the most badass predators in the universe. The feeling was exhilarating, and I ran harder, pushing myself to the limit. It was fun. For all of about ten seconds then reality sprang back like a rubber band. A very big, very painful rubber band.

Pakkun snatched me up in a bruising grip, and I barely managed to stifle a girlie scream of surprise when he took to the trees. I clutched at his chest. I wasn't afraid of heights, but _damn_ that was a long way down.

"A little forewarning next time," I growled up at him.

His chest heaved twice, and I scowled at his amusement.

Pakkun came to a stop, and I suddenly understood why he'd taken to the trees. He crouched, keeping me clutched to him in a one armed bridal style grip as I got a bird's eye view of our quarry. I'd suspected Mr. Stevens had more men stationed on the main road and that they were the ones who'd informed him of Ian's approach. What I hadn't expected was the freaking Army stationed up here. As Mr. Stevens entourage rolled out onto the main road, four fatigue painted Hummers hidden in the brush on the side of the road quickly followed after them.

"What the hell?"

It was obvious Mr. Stevens and Mrs. Lewis had come prepared for war. My question was with who? And why?

 _Xenomorphs..._

"Pakkun," I met his amber orbs through the slits in the helmet. "What the fuck is a Xenomorph?"

Lobomon decloaked and landed on a branch in front of us and snarled angrily. Pakkun's hold tightened on me as he leaned forward, and snarled back. A colorful array of clicks, snarls, and a language I didn't recognize spewed forth from Lobomon. He gestured sharply at me, and the undercurrent of the argument was made obvious.

"Lobomon!" I snapped.

He stared down at me and growled. The anger lit up his mismatched orbs, and the effect was so startling I pressed into Pakkun before I could stop myself. Lobomon snorted, again seeing me as weak, but in all fairness, compared to _him_ a T-rex seemed cuddly.

"Look I get that you don't like me-"

"Zabin," he growled.

Pakkun's dreads brushed my face as stretched his neck and growled back.

"Enough!" I swept the curtain of his dreads aside and glowered at Lobomon. "You don't like me! Fine! Whatever! I don't give a rip! But damn it you better fucking show a little respect! I just stuck my neck out for you, and I deserve to know why!"

He snorted and turned his head away as if I meant nothing. Admittedly it kind of stung, but I wouldn't allow it to show. Danny, and I had a lot to lose by keeping them a secret. He could at the very least be civil. The jerk.

Pakkun made a soft noise in the back of his throat and I looked up, meeting his eyes. And when he spoke, I understood why Mr. Stevens traveled with a bunch of heavy hitters.

"Kiande amedha..."

...

Back at the house, Ian did his best to pry answers out of me as we loaded the trailer. When he asked about the yard, I gave him the same answer I gave Trey. He didn't find it funny either. And when he asked about my leg, I blamed it on the hazards of working in a shed full of ancient equipment. He wasn't convinced.

"Nina?"

"What?" I replied, tersely. One of the damn ratchet straps was stuck, and giving me hell.

Ian took it away from me when I started banging the stupid thing against the engine block. "Okay, seriously? You need a time out."

I threw up my hands and growled in complete frustration. Yeah, I could use a time out. Hell- could the world take a fucking time out and stop shitting on me for five minutes?!

I parked my butt on the wheel of the trailer and rubbed my sweaty face on my once-upon-a-time white tank. Ian fixed the ratchet and tightened the strap before joining me.

"Is life boning you, darlin'?"

The crass comment drew a snort from me. "Right in the ass." I sighed, "And I didn't even get a free dinner first."

He chuckled and pulled out a cigarette. "So is it you can't talk about it-" He paused, took a drag and the smoke curled out of his nose. "-or you won't?"

"Honestly, Ian," I heaved a weary breath. "I don't know who those clowns were, other than they work for the Weyland Corporation." Which I still needed to google. Note to self: put the damn phone on the damn charger. "And Mr. Stevens was slippier than a greased up pig. He never actually said what it is they were looking for."

Ian frowned, exhaling a wispy stream of smoke. "You should probably call Trey."

I raised my brows at him in surprise.

"Hey, I'm not saying the Sheriff- that guy's an asshole. But Trey's a good man, plus he likes you so I doubt he'll fan your business all over town." Ian stood, "At the very least it wouldn't hurt to have a little backup. Do you need a gun?"

I smirked, stood up and flashed him the Beretta still tucked into the back of my pants.

He smiled, and playfully put up his hands in surrender. "That is probably the sexiest thing I've ever seen." He chuckled, "Neens, if you need anything you know how to reach me. I've got your back."

"Thanks, Ian," I said sincerely. I never thought Ian considered me a friend. Sometimes it's nice to be wrong. Ian hopped into the cab of the truck and waved a hand out of the window as he drove away. I waved back and waited for the truck to disappear before running into the shed and grabbing my phone.

...

Over the span of three hours, I went into town, bought groceries- which earned me a lot of weird looks since my cart was full of meat- and went to the bank. The chipper teller behind the glass smiled as she informed me that I had enough money left to buy a can of tuna -the really cheap kind that's questionable- and I was in danger of overdrawing. Bitch.

The entire drive home, I clutched the wheel in a death grip, worried the Weyland goons might've returned in my absence. Oh, I wasn't worried about them, I was worried _for_ them. Pakkun and Lobomon were both worked up and were patrolling the borders of our land when I left.

My brows furrowed. _Did I just say_ our _land? The hell?..._

When I got back to the house, I breathed a sigh of relief when I found no bodies littering the ground but then again would there be? That fluorescent goo Pakkun had used on the bug alien carcasses was some seriously wicked mojo.

I honked the horn and Danny met me at the rear of the Bronco and helped me carry in the groceries. "Where's Pakkun and Lobomon?"

Danny balanced a bag on a knee, then grabbed another. "Dunno. Pakkun showed up about an hour ago- I think to check on me, but disappeared right after."

"They left you alone this whole time?"

"Yup," he grunted.

I scowled, "So much for babysitting."

Danny heaved the bags onto the counter, "I don't need a babysitter." He crossed his arms over his chest, watching as I put the food away. "Besides do you really think they'd allow anything to happen to me?"

He had a point. "No," I grudgingly agreed.

Danny smiled victoriously, but it wilted, and his face fell into lines of worry. "Nina?"

"Hm?" I kicked the cold drawer shut and closed the fridge. Danny's green eyes darted away when I tried to meet them again.

"Is this my fault?"

Confused, I crouched down so that I was more on his level. His red hair fell in his face, and I gently brushed it aside. "Is what your fault, Soot Sprite?"

"The men in black. They were here because I brought home Pakkun and Lobomon, right?"

"I don't think they're after the twins," I said honestly. Apparently, the kiande amedha were what Kelly had referred to as Xenomorphs. And now that I knew that the words she'd spoken in French made more sense. 'If the Xenomorphs were here they'd be dead.' She'd meant Danny and I would be dead. Of course, if not for Pakkun then Mrs. Lewis would've been right. But how did the Weyland Corporation know about the Xenomorphs?

"... mad at me?"

I blinked. Crap. Has he been talking this whole time? "I'm sorry, sweety. What was that?"

His face puckered, "I said are you mad at me?"

Now I was just plain lost. "For what?"

"For bringing Pakkun and Lobomon home."

I smiled softly at him, "No, Danny. I'm not mad about it."

He opened his mouth to rebuke my words, and I held up a hand to stave it off.

"Okay, admittedly in the beginning I was mad, but I'm not anymore."

He pursed his lips as if he didn't quite believe me. "Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"Promise?"

I laughed, "I promise."

"Good." He nodded fervently. A smile brightened his face, but the mischievous gleam in his orbs was disconcerting. "Because I think Pakkun likes you."

"What? Wait- Danny get back here!"

Danny skip towards the stairs, "Don't mess this up, Nina! I worked really hard to get this to work!"

I stood up and nearly did a face plant after tripping over a box of Fruit Loops. "Danny- wait! Mess what up?!"

Laughing, Danny raced up the stairs, and a moment later I heard the bathroom door close.

"Danny?!"

 _"... Pakkun likes you."_

 _What the fuck was that suppose to mean?!_

I started up the stairs, intent on getting answers when my cell phone rang.

 _"I'm fucked up, I'm black and blue_

 _I'm built for it, all the abuse_

 _I got secrets, that nobody, nobody knows-"_

I picked up the phone, cutting off the _Gangsta_ song without even looking at the caller ID.

"What?"

Did I sound growly?

 _"Hello to you too, sunshine."_

Mystery solved.

Groaning, I rubbed my face. "Sorry, Trey its been a long day."

 _"Do I wanna know?"_

"The filming of the _AVP_ sequel isn't going well."

 _"... if you're making jokes then it's probably serious. Are you okay?"_

"Peachy."

 _"Liar."_

"Trey," I whined.

He chuckled, _"Alright I'll let it go for now but remember you're going to be spending a lot of time alone in the car with me which means you can't dodge my questions forever."_

I'd totally forgotten about the honeypot gig.

 _"You forgot didn't you?"_

"No."

 _"Liar."_

I rolled my eyes, "Okay fine. I forgot. Happy?"

 _"Immensely."_

"God you're annoying."

 _"Love you too, Neens. Okay, so about Friday- do you got a pen and paper handy?"_

My brows furrowed as I searched the junk drawer by the stove. "Yup."

 _"Are you ready for this?"_

Did I have a choice? "Shoot."

 _"I've got a bit more information on our target Mr. Finch..."_

* * *

 **A/N: Ugh! This chapter was a pain in the butt! I rewrote it several times! I think I'm just a little lost on which way I wanna go. But this chapter does serve the purpose of setting up future chapters. Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed it! Sorry for mistakes! Thank you, everyone, for all the favs, follows, and reviews. OMG- the reviews! You guys are amazing! Your words are so uplifting! I honestly couldn't have made it through this chapter without them! Hugs for everyone! Definitions for Yautja terms are posted at the bottom.**

 **Kittykat6625: This chapter wasn't as funny as the last but I hope you enjoyed it. More interactions with Lobomon in the future. Thank you for the love XD**

 **Rasha007: Glad I could surprise you with the twin thing! This chapter probably didn't have you in stitches but I hope it still left you wanting more! Thank you for your support! 007's a badass!**

 **BlackblackAngel: I'm thrilled that you found my story funny and I hope I still managed to peek your curiosity with this latest update ;)**

 **KittyKatt25: Your review made me smile. Nina's mother may make an appearance in the future but I don't wanna give anything away. Thank you!**

 **XxShadowfangxX: Thank you for the support! This cliffhanger wasn't as exciting as the last but I hope it keeps you excited for the next update. :)**

 **Guest Reviewers: Your love warms the cockles of my heart! Thank you! One of you mentioned it was hilarious naming Lobomon after a Digimon, and I whole heartily agree. The moment it came to me I laughed and thought 'Perfect!'. Another guest asked about a love triangle. Honestly, I'm not sure where some of this is going.**

 **Kay: Lol, your review always makes me laugh. This cliffhanger wasn't as cruel as the last but hopefully, I've kept you hooked. I would never want to keep you hanging for months. But I sincerely hope that I didn't disappoint you with this latest chapter. It could've used some fine tuning but I really hate the idea of updating late. Thank you for the love, Kay!**

 **Tenjp: Glad you're loving it! I love that you love it! I hope you loved the update just as much! And thank you for the compliment. It's difficult to give Predators personality without making them either extremely OOC or turning them into emotionless killing machines XD**

 **Black cross0: I like Lobomon too. He adds a bit more tension to the story. So did you guess the men in black was the Weyland Corp? Oh, man I hope you liked it. Also, there will be other females but Nina is going to be the only female protagonist. Sorry. Hope you're not too bummed about that. Thank you for the support! You rock!**

 **KTCameleon: Lol, actually their not the same preds. Honestly, I didn't even think about those two when writing out Pakkun and Lobomon's characters. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the update! Thank you for all of your support KT!**

 **angel897: Hope you like it! Thank you for the love! :)**

 **sousie: Ah, thank you! It's a pleasure to read your comments :)**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Lol, yes Lobomon. I think my dorky nature really shined through there. Lobomon definitely has issues but it will become clear later. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thank you!**

 **crystalga: Sorry I know this chapter wasn't as funny but I hope you liked it anyway. Your support;s been amazing! Thank you! :)**

 **09sasha: Lol, oh she definitely put a top on! Did you like it? (I wish these were brains) Ha! Thank you, Sasha!**

 **Felix: Thank you, Felix! Did you enjoy the update? Man-oh-man I hope so! (Also you're welcome! Because your reviews really are motivation!)**

 **Tenfangirl: OMG (blushes) I'm your favorite?! You have no idea how happy that makes me! I truly hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter. Thank you for your kind words! :)**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: (btw your name is awesome!) I hope you enjoyed the update! Thanks for the love! XD**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmperor: Lobomon, as well as Pakkuns, origins, will be revealed in the future. I promise! Thank you!**

 **kimah36: LMAO, yes I absolutely love pop cultural references! BTW, I added that "Like a turtle shell" bit just for you. ;D**

 **mui sakura 73: Thank you so much! You're so sweet!**

 **Maxi: I love Predator/Human couplings too! Lol. Thank you!**

 **GrimmaulDee: I'm pleased you like it so far! Hope you enjoyed the update! Thank you!**

 **Daftbearaveo: LMAO, your review made me smile. Thanks for the compliment! The cliffhanger wasn't as diabolical this time but I hope it was enough to keep you enthralled. Thanx for the love! XD**

* * *

 **Definintions~**

 **Kiande amehda: Hard meat/Xenomorph**

 **Zabin: Insect**


	9. Chapter 9

**My Life's a Cheesy Daytime Soap Opera**

"Oh-

Drawer number one- empty!

-my-

Drawer number two- empty!

-God!"

 _It's all fucking gone... poof!_

In less than forty-eight hours all of the meat -all fucking seventy bucks of it!- was gone! I slammed the door, and everything _left_ inside the fridge rattled. With a full head of steam, I whirled to face the Space Invaders. Quite literally space invaders because they both took up a lot of real estate with their ginormous asses. And in my tiny kitchen, it was like squeezing a couple of Bengal tigers into a cat carrier. Jam an ill-tempered redhead in there, and you've got a Pandora's box. Warning: Open only if you wish to die today.

On the other side of the kitchen isle stood Lobomon, his mismatched orbs looked sinister beneath his hooded brow as he watched me, daring me to approach. He bit into the half-eaten raw rump roast in his hands, thin ribbons of blood curled around his fingers, collecting at the knuckles and dripped onto the counter. He ripped into the flesh, mandibles flicking rapidly the same way an arachnid's mouth appendages move during feeding.

The sight of blood or the brutal slaughter of one animal killing another doesn't make me squeamish. I've grown up around some of the biggest natural predators such as black bears, pumas, and of course gators, so I'm no stranger to death. But something about watching Lobomon tilt his head back and swallowing that hunk of meat sent a cold chill skittering down my spine. Self-preservation told my southern temper to take a hike.

Lobomon made a guttural noise of satisfaction. His black serpentine forked tongue flicked out to clean his mandibles. Our eyes met, and the animal part of me wanted to run from the predator. I snatched my trusty pan from the sink and held it in front of me like a shield. His mismatched orbs brightened with excitement, and my heart began to pound.

A low snarly-bark made me jump, and my eyes snapped to Pakkun who was watching Lobomon from his sentry position by the back door. Lobomon gave a snort of derision and went back to feeding, but those cold, cold orbs never wavered as he continued to watch me.

Pakkun moved away from his post by the door. Lobomon paused, growling softly at his brother and clutched the meat tighter. The same way any predator protects his kill. Pakkun gave him a wide berth and came to stand on my immediate left. Apparently, he trusted his brother about as much as I did. Lobomon finished the rump roast and tore into a package chuck steaks I hadn't noticed.

"Hey!" My tempered flared back to life. "Motherfucker do you have any idea how much that cost?!" The sudden boost in confidence had absolutely _nothing_ to do with Pakkuns nearness. Okay, it did- but come on! Lobomons the nightmare of Freddy Kruger's dreams!

Lobomon dismissed me with a grunt of annoyance, licked his tusks clean, and donned his helmet. The helmet was the same shape and size as Pakkun's, but it had the jaw bone of an unknown creature with serrated teeth attached at the bottom. Now that I wasn't distracted by the horror feeding show, I realized he was wearing all of his gear, including his weapons. I blinked, noticing three skulls at his hip for the first time. Two of them didn't look like any animal I've every seen or wanted to run into in a dark alley. But one of them was a human skull. The sight of it startled me. I knew they were hunters, but before this moment I hadn't even entertained the idea of humans being their prey. Men like my daddy and my uncle _may_ have stood a chance, after all, neither of them were lightweights, but in my opinion, the human race was laughably outclassed.

My eyes flicked back up, and my hackles jumped to attention. Lobomon's stare had taken on a predatory gleam. He knew exactly where my thoughts had gone and was determined to make me feel inferior. I did, but he didn't need to know that, besides his condescending attitude was really starting to annoy me.

Scowling, I stuck my tongue out then quickly glanced at Pakkun. Unlike his brother he managed not to sound like a frenzied pack of piranha as he ate, and I noted that he too seemed to be gearing up for something. Pakkun had reequipped all of his armor and weapons, and like Lobomon, he'd adorned himself in skulls. However, and to my utter relief, none of the skulls Pakkun wore appeared to be human.

"You hunt humans too?" The words were out of my mouth. I hadn't meant to speak the thought because the answer was obvious and it scared me. Though, admittedly it scared me for the wrong reason. Humans have been hunting and slaughtering one another since the first cave man stole another cave man's woman. At least Pakkuns species did it discretely and without starting wars. So then why was my gut clenched in a knot so hard I could barely breathe?

Pakkun finished off whatever cut of meat he'd been eating and gave me his full attention. Our eyes met, and my stomach dropped. I knew the answer, and it frightened me way more than his.

 _Oh, my god, I have a thing for crab face..._ The silent admittance startled me more than discovering a human skull hanging like a macabre fashion statement from Lobomons hip.

I swallowed, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and flustered by my own train of thought. If Pakkun's species saw us as prey then... how did Pakkun see me? If they hadn't crash-landed and needed a place to hide would they have hunted Danny and I?

Mentally I shooed the thought away. Pakkun's species may hunt humans for sport, but I seriously doubted my brother and I, looked or made good game. So the question still stood- how did Pakkun see me? And not to add more fuel to the ever-present flame of doubt, but if they hunted us like animals then wouldn't a relationship with a human be the equivalent of bestiality? Ugh! When did my life turn into such a bad daytime soap opera?

 _"... Pakkun likes you.."_

And maybe he did, but I wasn't going to be responsible for some intergalactic faux pas. He was going to have to make the first move. But then again, hadn't he already?

A shiver of remembrance raised the hairs along my arms. The night before last I think Pakkun crawled into bed with me, though, I was so tired I might've dreamed it. But last night had definitely _not_ been a dream. Danny and I laid curled on the pullout -this was becoming quite normal after the attacks- and just before sleep took me I felt the mattress dip down and Pakkun's body line with mine. Though not unwelcome, I had to wonder if the gesture had more to do with Lobomons open hostility towards me than an actual attempt at affection. And I strongly suspected the former.

 _Hmmm... 'As the World Turns' has already been taken... so has 'The Edge of Night'..._

A shadow passed over my face. Startled, I raised the pan without thinking and reacted naturally to my 'danger close' instinct. A hand wrapped around mine, stopping the arc of the pan mid swing. Pakkun huffed in aggrievance, lowered my arm and took the pan away for good measure then tossed it back in the sink.

He wasn't touching me, but he stood close enough that his heat curled around me like an electric blanket in danger of catching fire. I'd been so wrapped up in thought that I'd completely forgotten about the aliens in the room with me.

 _Smooth, Neens. Just keep driving home the point that you'd make very boring prey... and maybe, even less appealing- okay the term_ girlfriend _doesn't work here. Lover? Ick- nope that's worse._

Pakkun made an impatient noise in the back of his throat, and I looked up at him with fierce determination. Crossing my arms over my chest, I took a step back. The guy's body heat was distracting, and I wanted to be able to think clearly. At my sudden retreat, he cocked his head in confusion, but I wasn't about to explain that his nearness had my retarded girlie hormones doing the freaking Can-Can.

"Do you hunt humans?" I repeated the question.

Pakkun's brow ridge drew down, but there was no hesitation when he dipped his chin in a sharp nod. "Sei-i."

I was guessing _sei-i_ meant yes or at least an affirmation.

My lips pressed into a thin line. I looked away from him, and the unease I'd felt moments ago came flooding back. My eyes fell on Lobomon, but with his helmet on and the slits blacked out, I had no idea what he was thinking. Though, the rigid set of his thick shoulders and the way the ropey cords of his neck stood out suggested he wasn't happy. Then again, was he ever?

Pakkun stepped into my personal space, drawing my attention like the snap of a whip. My lower back pressed into the counter, and there was nowhere else for me to go without it being completely obvious that I wanted to run. Our eyes locked and I tried very hard to ignore the way my heart fluttered. Stupid hormones. Of course, it would probably help if my brain stopped conjuring up images of him naked in my shower every five seconds!

"NoT... preey." His jaw was not built for the human language, and he rolled the R and hit the T hard. But the guttural, and smoky base of his voice warmed my insides like a shot of whiskey. And I suddenly knew what the title of my cheesy soap opera would be.

 _Abducted and Dominated..._

Of their on volition, my hands came up and tentatively touched his abdomen. At first, he tensed. The well-honed muscles bunching beneath my palms. My fingertips found a scar above his pelvic bone, and as I traced it, his amber orbs lightened to wolf gold. Confirming my theory that he enjoyed the attention I paid his scars. Pakkun leaned closed, his hands came up to rest on the counter behind me, effectively caging me there. His claws scraped the Formica and the muscle in his arms and shoulders tensed as a shudder passed through his body. And I got the distinct impression he was holding himself back. Unfortunately, the little thrill that shot straight to my core fizzled out at the sound of a low angry growl.

Lobomon snarled, "Kha'bj-te mei'hswei!"

Pakkun straightened, faced his brother and snarled back with his mandibles flared out.

"Wei-ghe'h ooman tarei hsan!"

Pakkun took an aggressive step towards his brother, and even though it wasn't in English the low, deadly hiss of his voice made it hard to miss the underlying threat. "Ki'cte..."

Lobomon was seething, and I think the only reason he didn't leap over the kitchen isle and charge Pakkun was because Danny chose that moment to enter through the back door.

"Nina," he ran into the center of the kitchen. I arched a brow at his SpongeBob swim trunks and crossed my arms over my chest in disapproval. He'd been in the pool. And Danny knew he wasn't supposed to be in there without my knowledge.

Danny smiled sheepishly, pushing his goggles up into his dripping wet hair. He wiped water from his eyes and shivered from the AC. "I fished out all the broken pieces in the pool."

"You're not supposed to be in the pool without telling me Danny."

He rolled his eyes, "Yes mom."

My eyes narrowed dangerously, "And you're getting puddles of water all over the floor."

Danny looked down at his bare feet and noticed said puddle and huffed. "Sorry, I'll clean it up."

I waved it off, "Just go get dry and dressed." To be honest, I just wanted him out of the kitchen. Lobomon and Pakkun were behaving themselves but it wouldn't take much of a push for either of them to snap. Besides, the brothers -namely Lobomon- had made quite a mess after foraging for food in our fridge and the evidence littered the counter tops and the floor.

Danny seemed to notice the atmosphere, and he looked at me accusingly. "What did you do?"

I sighed and ran a hand down my face. "Damn it, Danny I don't have time for twenty question. I've got a million and one things to do before going to work tonight." Calling the honeypot gig _work_ made me feel like a fucking call girl. I so was not looking forward to this, but I was willing to do just about anything to get the fuck out of the house.

He scowled, "Where are you going?"

"I've got a gig with Trey."

Pakkun's head tilted in my direction.

Danny's green orbs took in Lobomon and Pakkun's ensemble. "Where are they going?"

I glanced at Pakkun, "That's what I'd like to know?"

"HunTing..." Lobomon said in a clipped tone. I refused to look at him.

"Hunting what? More of those Xenomorphs?"

Pakkun gave a terse nod.

My brows furrowed, "Should I be worried?"

Lobomon snorted, and I gave him a withering look. He thumped a fist against his chest, "Sain'ja."

I raised a brow.

"Warriorsss," he hissed. And I was slightly surprised he'd answered my unvoiced question.

"Are there many of them left?" Despite his arrogant, holier-than-thou personality, Lobomon seemed to know more English than Pakkun.

"No."

In my periphery, I noticed Pakkun donning his helmet and looked back at him. There was a soft hiss as he reattached the hose, then he tapped at something on his gauntlet.

 _"... gig with Trey..."_

I blinked, taken aback by my own distorted voice played back to me and frowned up at him in confusion.

He grunted in annoyance and played it again.

 _"... gig with Trey..."_

"He's asking what your gig with Trey is," Danny said.

"Thanks, Danny. Now go upstairs." I'd gotten the message. I just wasn't sure why he was asking.

Danny blew out a breath and muttered unintelligibly as his scrawny butt headed for the stairs.

"Danny."

He paused on the first step to give me an annoyed pout.

"Thanks for cleaning out the pool."

He smiled and nodded before continuing up the steps.

My eyes met Pakkuns, and I put it in a way that he would understand. "Trey and I, are going hunting." What I didn't say was that I was playing bait. The gig wasn't dangerous, and I didn't see the need to try and explain myself. Besides, I wasn't sure Pakkun would understand even if I did.

Lobomon snorted in derision but thankfully chose that moment to leave. He paused in passing, staring at me from over his brother's shoulder. I couldn't see his eyes, but I could feel the weight of his contempt.

"Zabin," he growled.

I scowled darkly at him, following him with my eyes as he left. I had no idea what he said, but I seriously doubted it was sweet-nothings. "Yeah, well I'm rubber and your glue buddy!" I called after him.

Pakkun cocked his head at me, "HunTing... kiande amedha?"

My eyes met his through the helmet and I smiled. "I'll leave the bug aliens to you, big guy. I'm after much slimier prey."

Mr. Finch had cheated on his wife, and to me, that made him more of a bug than the Xenomorphs.

Pakkun cocked his head, and I got the sense that he wanted to say something, but instead he reached for an object at his hip and handed it to me. My fingers curled around it, and I stared up at him in confusion.

Pakkun laid one large hand on my shoulder and squeezed lightly before letting go and following after his brother.

I ran my fingers over the ornately carved scabbard, then pulled the thin curved blade free of its leathery sheath. The obsidian blade glinted wickedly in the light, and I recognized it instantly. The dagger had been carved from the barbed tail of a Xenomorph, and it was stunning.

 _Why would he gift something like this to me? Some type of hunt ritual?_

Or maybe it was something else entirely...

...

"Your phone's on right?" I asked Trey for the umpteenth time. I'd dropped Danny off at Miss De Ville's, who Danny often referred to as Cruella (wisely he never called it to her face), even though her first name was actually Tilly. But unfortunately, the woman's coal black hair had grayed only on one side hence the nickname. Miss De Ville was pushing ninety and wasn't my favorite choice of babysitters, but seeing as Pakkun was the only one I did trust -I know weird right?- and he was out bug hunting, I couldn't leave Danny alone. Not when I knew there were more Xenomorphs running around. Plus despite her bony, weathered appearance I'd seen the woman shoot a fox at twenty yards going after her chickens. And _that_ was impressive.

 _Calm down Neens. Danny will be fine._ My baby brother had my phone. Miss De Ville lived over ten miles away from our land. And Danny was with someone safe... then why the hell could I not calm down?

Trey chuckled and lowered the night vision binoculars. "You're such a mom."

I scowled. Danny had said the same thing. Is that what this was? Is that why I couldn't stop worrying?

 _Fuck next I'll be wearing mom jeans..._ I recoiled at the thought.

"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you about your outfit." The glow of the dashboard lighting cut a path along his face, revealing the hint of an amused smile. "Don't get me wrong, you could wear a trash bag and still look sexy, but I was expecting something a littlie more..."

"Provocative?" I supplied.

He nodded.

A street light flicked overhead, partially illuminating me behind the driver seat of the Bronco. I glanced down at my ensemble feeling slightly out of place but not self-conscious. Lousiana is steeped in preternatural lore and is home to many different beastly creatures and of course, magic. New Orleans gets the brunt of the tourists and the _True Blood_ fanatics but out here in the sticks it's not nearly as glamorous.

The dark tattered jeans rode low on my hips, allowing a tantalizing sliver of skin to peek out, and they hugged the curve of my thighs and butt perfectly. A snug fit, yet loose enough in case I had to run. The tank I wore was a simple black string top, not nearly as sexy as some of the corsets I'd seen tonight but I'd gone commando beneath my clothes. I was dangerously teetering towards trashy but after reading all the material Mrs. Finch had provided on her soon to be ex-husband -and perusing Mr. Finches secret blog- I'd learned more than I ever wanted to know.

I smiled at Trey, "You haven't seen the whole outfit yet." His expression turned quizzical as he watched me remove my boots, exposing my dirty bare feet. "Hand me the tackle box behind your seat."

He cocked a brow but grabbed the beige box without question and handed it over. I fished out the wire cutters.

"What are you doing?" Trey asked, taking the tackle box when I handed it back to him.

"You'll see."

I flipped on the dome light and shifted, propping my left foot up on my right knee. The jeans had been torn completely off from the knee down on the left leg, revealing the Xenomorphs claw marks. Ironically the wounds added to the effect.

Trey drew in a sharp breath, "Nina- what the hell happened?"

I snipped the first stitch and winced. The wounds needed more time to heal, but the stitches had done their job, and the cuts stayed closed. It wouldn't take much to reopen them, so here's hoping the plan didn't fall apart at the seams.

"Wild dog," I said with a hiss, snipping the last of the threads and pulling them out.

"Nina, I've seen wounds made by dogs, and _that_ was made by something bigger."

Damn. Why couldn't Trey be one of the hot dumb ones?

I blew out a breath and handed him the cutters. "Fine it was the aliens-"

Trey dropped the tackle box on the floor and whirled to face me. His face set in hard lines of determination and stark annoyance. "Cut the bullshit, Nina! What the hell is going on at your property?! Ian said you had some questionable-"

"You spoke to Ian?!" I silently added, "freaking traitor!".

"-he's worried about you. As am I. Now start spilling your guts woman!" There was an implied "or else" at the end of that sentence, but he hadn't needed to voice it. It was clear that if I didn't do some slick talking, Trey would make my life miserable.

I sighed and turned the dome light off so that my night vision could recover. "I don't know who those clowns were, other than they work for the Weyland Corporation. Mr. Stevens, the guy in charge, was very vague on what exactly he was looking for and that's the god's honest truth."

And it was the truth. I'd just edited out the part about spending half of the day today googling Mr. Weyland. And what I learned worried me.

"Weyland?" He went quiet for a moment, and I could see the gears working. "Didn't they just sign a multi-billion dollar deal with the US military?"

"Yes." And I remembered why the name Weyland had set off alarm bells. My daddy had been military, and he'd heard about the deal when it was just in its infancy stage. Weyland, and the Company's silent partner Yutani had their fingers in many pies including NASA. Slowly but surely, the Company was making themselves an invaluable and _only_ asset to the government. The Company's slogan was "Building Better Worlds" but if said asset controls the majority of the world then who's really in charge? The answer is the ones holding the guns.

"No offense but why would they be interested in you?"

I snorted humorlessly, "No idea." It was a half-truth. Mr. Stevens had come looking for Xenomorphs, and when there were none to be found his interest should've ended there. It hadn't. And that was the multi-billion dollar question.

"Nina."

My eyes found his and the glow of the dash reflected eerily in his dark orbs.

"Do you feel you are in danger? I haven't said anything to the Sheriff, but if you're feeling threatened then you should let us do our jobs."

And that's where the legal system failed. Because other than asking questions and being a general nuisance Mr. Stevens hadn't done anything illegal. Even if I felt Danny and I were in mortal danger, the law couldn't do anything unless Mr. Stevens actual hurt us. Stupid. I know. But it happens all the time. Including to me.

The skepticism must've shown on my face. "I can stay with you for a while if you want?" A smirk twitched at his lips, and he continued, "Unless your boyfriend would see that as an invasion of his territory."

Pakkun's ugly mug flashed in my mind's eye, and my heart did a little flip-flop. Oh, I think he definitely would have a problem with it, but I wondered if his species even perceived jealousy. Then, again I wasn't sure if I wanted to find out. Trey was a big guy, but I'd seen Pakkun, actually rip another living creature apart.

"Let's not find out," I said sincerely.

The smirk turned into a full-blown grin, and I realized what I'd done. I'd just confirmed to Trey that I had a boyfriend.

 _Idiot._

"So what's his name?" His expression became stern, "Would I approve of him?"

Again Pakkun surfaced in my mind, this time with his mandibles flared.

 _Probably not._

But to Trey, I said, "He's a bastard, but a good guy." And avoided his name altogether.

He didn't look convinced, and I suspected he was thinking about my ex, Adam.

I smiled, "Trust me, Trey. He's rough around the edges- really, really rough, but ultimately I trust him with not only my life but my brothers as well."

That answer seemed to satisfy him, but the frown remained as his eyes went back to observing the people flowing in and out of The Hollows. The Hollows was an underground nightclub, catering to your hearts most deadly curiosities. I'd done some research on this place too. I've always known the roots of supernatural lore ran deep in these parts, but not this deep.

"How do I look?"

He glanced at me. The cabin wasn't well lit. But he'd seen what I was wearing. "Like an untamed, sexy wild woman who just got back from a run in the woods."

"Good."

"I'm confused here, Nina. Mr. Finch is a fang-banger, shouldn't you be dressed in a leather bustier or something?"

I chuckled, "Mr. Finch- actually at this club he's known as Dante, isn't your typical fang-banger."

Trey did a double-take, "Dante? How the hell do you know that?"

I smiled cheekily, "Why didn't you know that? You're the PI after all."

He blew out a breath, "Thanks, Neens."

"Your welcome. Anyway, I found his blog. You gotta love a guy who writes his life, including some very graphic ideas of sex online."

"So how does what you're wearing play into that?"

"Because-" I grabbed the binoculars and spied our target. "- Dante is into interspecies dating, which from what I've learned is considered taboo among the supernatural. The guy has money, so he's used to women throwing themselves all over him when what he really wants to do is hunt them. I'm going to give him what he wants."

"Damn, Neens. When you go all in, you go _all_ in. And the fact that you know any of that scares me."

Admittedly I was scaring myself. I was learning an awful lot from living with a couple natural predators. But Mr. Finch was a different kind of predator.

"He's inside." I mussed my hair, then opened the door. "It'll look better if we enter at separate times, so give me a few minutes before coming in."

He nodded, scrutinizing my outfit once more in the light of the open door. He smirked, "Go get 'em wolf girl."

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out into the muggy night and made my way for The Hollows. In my mind, I went over everything I'd read and mentally shed my human skin. Mr. Finch truly believed he was a vampire and if I couldn't commit whole-heartedly to my own act, then he would see right through me as a fraud. So I embraced it.

My eyes cut to the moon, it was one night away from being full, and its swollen beauty would only add to the act. I stifled the urge to howl and opened the door to the dimly lit interior of The Hollows.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh my god that was so much fun to write! FYI this isn't going to turn into a supernatural fic, this was just a bit of fun. (But there is a method to my madness.) And Nina finally admits she holds a little flame for Pakkun ;) Nina also avoided telling Pakkun exactly what she's up too by phrasing it in a way he'd understand. I think a lot of people were hoping for a bit more of a confrontation there- but! Don't fret I has plans (schemes, smiles evilly and rubs hands together)! Hope everyone enjoyed it! Sorry for mistakes. Thank you, everyone, for the favs, follows, and reviews. (Smiles happily) You guys are the best! Yautja definitions are at the bottom of the page.**

 **XxShadowfangxX: Thank you for the review! I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far!**

 **Guest reviewers: Thanx for the love. Guest 1: You said you came across this story by accident. Well, I'm so glad you did! And I'm positively tickled pink at how much of a kick you're getting out of Lobomon. You also asked 'where are your other two?' Um... I'll assume you mean the other two stories. Deadly Curiosities (sighs) I'm having trouble finding the right way to end it. I want it to be good you know? I'll finish it soon. Dead Planet... I'm not entirely sure if I'll continue it. Guest 2: I will keep writing more, I swear! Guest 3: Glad you loved it! And I'm happy you think it's progressing well because I'm really trying to make it good. Thank you! **

**Angel897: Thanx for the support! I love knowing that you enjoy reading it :)**

 **Rasha007: Oh, definitely look forward to the romance! I've slowed my roll on it just a little bit to build up the excitement. Nina running with Preds was my favorite part of that chapter too. I saw that you reviewed my other story as well. Calling it a masterpiece warmed me to my toes. I'll finish it soon, Thanx, Rasha :D**

 **1WhoLoves2ReadAlot: What a happy coinkydink I love to read too! Thanx for the love! I'm so happy you like the story!**

 **Black cross0: The story will tie in with AVP and AVPR, but probably won't delve too deeply into it. I'm thrilled you're enjoying it, Cross! Thank you for all your suggestions and support!**

 **mui sakura 73: Ah, thank you! I'm happy you found it interesting! I hope you enjoyed the update too! :)**

 **sousie: Not much of a reaction from Pakkun in this chapter, other than his interaction with Lobomon. Not yet anyway. Of course, the next two are gonna be a doozy (Hopefully)! Thanx, sousie!**

 **Kay: LMAO, I added a bunch of Yautja words in there just for you! I'll add more in future chapters. I'm so happy you enjoyed it! I had no trouble with this chapter. It was purely fun and I hope you find it fun too! You're awesome, Kay!**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx for the support! And in response to your previous review- Maybe ;)**

 **KittyKatt25: (Wipes sweat from brow) Few I'm glad you thought Nina vs the MIB was good because I'm not gonna lie that part had me in a brain fart for days. Thanx, Kitty!**

 **Tenfangirl: Aw, shucks thanx for the compliment. I'm glad you look forward to the updates and I hope you enjoyed the latest one! You're fabulous, Tenfangirl!**

 **Felix: You're totally right. If I get hung up I will ask! Thanx, Felix! :)**

 **crystalga: I'm glad it brightens your day! It gives me warm fuzzies just knowing that it does. You make me smile too, thank you! :)**

 **Tenjp: No I haven't written the Preds true names into the story... yet. But I will. I'm so pleased you found it creative! Hope you enjoyed the new update! Thanx for the support!**

 **waterflame4991: Lobomon is definitely a butt head but he's an important character. I'm so happy to brighten your day with an update because your kind words always brighten mine! Pakkun didn't have much of a reaction but then he was a little distracted- but fear not there's gonna be a big reaction later! Although not necessarily the one I'm sure a lot of readers are expecting ;)**

 **Haylz93: Lobomons reactions towards Nina will come to light. Promise. And I think it's safe to assume Pakkun has a crush, lol. Thanx for the love Haylz! You're awesome too!**

 **09sasha: Sasha I'm pleased as punch you found the last chapter epic! (Especially since I thought it was a pain in the butt!) You're so sweet! Thanks for the love!**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Hope the update was worth the wait! Thanx for all the support and love!**

 **hellfire45: I will make more chapters! I swear! The pairing isn't set in stone yet. Pakkun is the main flame but you never know ;)**

 **kirarain09: Oh, wow that's cool! It's been a while since I've been to the 'Devil's Armpit' but I enjoyed it thoroughly! (Which sounds totally weird when I say it that way, lol.) Most people hate the heat but I loved it. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx for the review XD**

 **K Riley: Lol, I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. Eventually, I will reveal the Preds true names. I do plan to somehow add a bit of fun when the twins learn who exactly Danny named them after. Thanx for the review! ;)**

* * *

 **Yautja definitions:**

 **~ Kiande Amedha: Xenomorph or hard meat**

 **~ Ooman: Human**

 **~ Kha'bj-te mei'hswei: Crazy (or foolish) brother**

 **~ Wei-ghe'h ooman tarei hsan: Female human unworthy (rough translation)**

 **~ Ki'cte: Enough**

 **~ Sain'ja: Warrior**

 **~ Zabin: Insect**

 **~ Sei-i: Yes**


	10. Chapter 10

**(Happy Belated Halloween Everyone) **

**It's Gonna End With A Scream**

I've fallen into the rabbit hole. I must've. The exterior of The Hollows hadn't seen a lick of paint in two decades; its walls cracked and defaced with spray paint by youths who didn't know how to spell. But inside, it could only be described as magic. Or at least someone with very deep pockets who had a fatal attraction to authors like Rice and Hamilton.

The floors were a dark cherry wood, the real kind not the fake stuff you roll over cement. There were no windows, but there were wrought iron sconces each depicting a demon or angel lining black marble walls. Inside the marble, the light reflected off of the tiny shards of crystal, dazzling the eyes like a million stars. I'd never seen something so beautiful in all my life and to think it was hidden way out here in the sticks when it belonged in a palace or somewhere equally less redneck.

In the corner of the small foyer, the man playing on a black Grand Piano paused midverse to meet my eyes. I stiffened taken aback by the crimson color of his irises.

Yup, I was definitely in the right place.

He stood, sweeping the tailcoat of his tux out and approached me. The vest beneath the lapel was the same startling shade of crimson as his eyes and set against the midnight color of the tux the contrast was stunning against his alabaster skin. Now I felt ridiculously underdressed, but I was still confident I'd gotten it right.

The pianist stopped in front of me, and I curled my lip at him. He smiled, showing a bit of fang and gave a polite bow before taking a step back. "My apologies miss, I did not mean to invade your space."

I snorted and nodded curtly.

 _Holy crap it's working!_ According to Mr. Finch aka Dante's blog the people who frequented this club took their roles _very_ seriously.

"You're new here."

It wasn't a question.

With an apologetic smile, he asked for my ID. I handed it over. He barely even looked at it before handing it back. Trey wasn't happy when he found out I carried a fake ID but seeing as it would get me into the club he didn't whine too much. Besides, in a few months, I wouldn't need it.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Downey."

Yup, that's right. As in Misses Robert Doweny Jr. Hey, a girl can dream.

"I'm Edward-"

 _Oh, how original._

"- welcome to The Hollows." Edward glanced down at my dirty bare feet, but to his credit, he didn't even bat an eye. Apparently, it happened often. "You look peaked from your run. Please feel at home here. All that we ask is that there is no bloodshed or feeding on the premises."

 _Feeding?_

I fought down the urge to shiver, not just from the creep factor, but because they kept the place pretty frosty. In my periphery, I spied our target. Mr. Finch sat at the black glass bar, sipping something that from this distance looked for all intent and purposes like blood. Okay, the creep factor just hit _The Ring_ level of freaky.

A brunette in a silver dress with about as much coverage as a napkin sat perched on the tall bar chair beside him. Luckily the girl was so scrawny she barely blocked my view of him. Her breasts were perfect, large and round, and most definitely fake given her skeletal frame. I could count her ribs from here.

For a guy pushing fifty, Mr. Finch- er excuse me _Dante_ looked pretty good. Like Hugh Jackman good. He may not be as pretty as Lestat, but it wasn't hard to understand why women draped themselves all over him. And the little cocky smirk twitching his lip said he knew exactly how to flaunt what his momma gave him.

A quick peruse of the dimly lit club revealed most of the habitues were your typical garden variety vampire groupies or wannabes. But admittedly there were a few in the crowd that left me wondering. A man with long fine white hair and pointy ears leaned against the bar. He had sharply angled features and eyes so blue the ocean paled in comparison. An elf. And a more believable one than even Orlando Bloom playing Legolas.

 _Damn. These guys aren't playing around._ I wasn't going to judge their lifestyle. They weren't hurting anyone... as far as I knew. Besides, it's kind of hard to throw stones when your heart does the Cha-Cha Slide for an alien with mandibles.

The lyrics of the Cha-Cha Slide played in my head as I started for the back of the club. I didn't think this would be fun but pretending to be werewolf made me feel like a badass. The crazy part is channeling Pakkun and Lobomons behavior into my own. Adopting their mannerisms so to speak. Living under the same roof as a couple aggressive and predatory aliens helped me embody the attitude of a werewolf. And it was working.

Eyes followed me through the room. Many of whom were women giving me and my choice in wardrobe a look of distaste. But some of the men stared too, including Dante. Without fully turning to look at him, I met his crimson orbs in my periphery. He gave me the tiniest smirk, but it loudly expressed his interest and was trying to grab my attention. I snorted and gave him my back. The act of giving someone your back- especially to a predator is the equivalent of saying "you're no threat to me". And Dante would either find it insulting or take it as a challenge. My money was on the latter.

I'd gotten a better look at the reed-thin brunette with the balloon tits in passing. I kept my features schooled, but my insides had gone cold. At the bend of her elbows and on the inside of her wrists were scars. Many of them. And it wasn't hard to guess _what_ made them.

 _"... no feeding on the premises."_

Edward had been serious.

Inconspicuously my fingers traced the blade strapped to my left thigh, hidden by the torn pant leg. I still wasn't sure why Pakkun had gifted it to me or why I'd decided to bring it, but at the moment it made me feel better.

In the rear of the club, and veiled by black gossamer curtains were private rooms. And I'm betting that's where this club made most of their money. Sex sells, but this place wasn't licensed as a sex club. I stayed clear of the doors. Let them keep their secrets.

In a circular area adjacent, the private rooms were piles of soft fabrics, furs, and plushy pillows lining the floor. I sank into the nest of silks and Egyptian cotton without feeling the least bit guilty for getting them dirty. Okay, I felt a little guilty, but I refused to move. With my back to the wall, I had an unobstructed and encompassing view of the whole club.

The piano stopped playing, and I glanced up, watching Trey as he stood in the foyer. We didn't make eye contact, but he strategically placed himself at the bar, next to the Elf, giving himself a direct line of sight of me, and Dante. Other than the absurdly blocky and oddly cute glasses, Trey wasn't wearing a disguise of any kind. He may not have realized it but by not dressing up, he stood out as a groupie and he was on the receiving end of the wrong kind of attention.

With a salacious smile -that showed way too much fang- a woman spilling out of her black corset sidled up to him. Trey smiled coolly, but when another woman, this one pixie cute, boxed him in from the other side I had to hide a laugh at the look of consternation on his face.

While Trey fended off the harem of hormonally charged females, I stretched out my legs and got comfortable. Beneath my lashes I scanned the room, most of the men who were staring before had gone back to whatever they'd been doing before my arrival. I didn't take offense. The majority of the men here wouldn't know what to do with a woman who found pride in the grease and grit ingrained in her hands. To me, sexy was all about attitude and confidence.

 _Huh, no wonder I'm attracted to Pakkun._ Of course, it didn't hurt that he had a killer bod.

A zombified waitress wearing a black and gold victorian steampunk inspired dress waited for me to acknowledge her presence. I tilted my chin up, met here eyes and tried to ignore the way her milky-white orbs creeped me the fuck out. If this were Halloween, I would've been ecstatic to be in a place like this, but my little thrill of fun had gone bye-bye at the sight of the scars on the brunette's arms.

"Pardon, my intrusion miss." The zombie spoke and tucked a curly lock of blonde hair behind her ear. She held up a tray with a frilly fruity drink on it and continued, "The gentleman at the bar-"

"No, thank you," I interrupted. Including Trey, there were only three men at the bar. And the Elf had been giving my partner the bedrooms eyes since the moment he walked in which meant Dante had sent the drink. The waitress blinked, baffled by the rejection and clearly unsure what to do. Confused as she was, the waitress only smiled, whispered an apology for bothering me and scooted on back to the bar.

Dante's eyes found mine, and he smiled coolly, unruffled by the rejection. A challenge gleamed in his eyes, and I stared back. I've been browbeaten by possibly the most terrifying, nightmare-inducing, bedwetting predators the universe had to offer. A week ago Dantes stare might've scared. But now?

Accompanied by a snarl, Lobomon's terrifying mismatched orbs flashed in my mind's eye, and I inwardly recoiled. Dante would have to work harder to win a dominance battle against me.

Apparently, Dante came to the same conclusion. He stood, the brunette pouted and pawed at him, but she quieted when he glared at her. Drink in hand, Dante, stalked towards me. I found it amusing. After observing the panther-like grace of Pakkun, this guy's attempt fell flat.

For the second time since meeting the twins, I sincerely wished I had their vocal range. The growl, reverberating in my chest surprised me. I was supposed to be acting, yet I genuinely didn't want this guy within a mile of me. Now that he was close, the animal part of my brain tripped an array of warning signals. He couldn't hear the growl, so I settled for curling my lip and showing my teeth.

 _Okay, seriously? No more_ Criminal Minds _for me._

Dante smirked, showing a hint of fang. "Forgive me," he bowed his head with a regal flourish, dropped my gaze and like Edward he took a step back. "I forget this close to the full moon it's best to stay out of the way of lycanthropes." He swept a hand through his dark brown locks, unfazed by the unimpressed snort I'd made. "However, it is so rare to see one of your kind-" The smirk grew a tiny bit. "- that I just couldn't help myself. Tell me are you part of the local pack?"

 _There's a local pack?_

"No. I can't imagine you are. Locke, the alpha, wouldn't allow any of his wolves to roam freely this close to the full moon."

Okay, I get everyone needs a way to relieve stress. But whatever happened to good ol' fashion, boring as sin, golf? In fact, I found it rather disturbing that a guy with such an impressive medical career as a surgeon would take the act this far.

 _Stay cool, Neens. Just play along, get the photos, and get the fuck out of dodge._

"Just passing through," I said tersely.

The smirk hitched up, giving me full view of his fangs. They didn't look like caps. "On your own? No pack?" His eyes practically glowed now. "No _mate_?"

 _Mate?_

"Mate _s_." If a nuke went off right now, the explosive force wouldn't even rattle me the same way my own, response did. Worse, it had been automatic. No thought process at all. Why the hell would my subconscious supply such an asinine response?! Lobomon disliked me with a passion that bordered on hate, and the feeling was mutual.

"Mates?"

I stared up at Dante mutely. Miraculously the shock hadn't registered on my face. In fact, I'm pretty sure my face mirrored a plank of wood. No emotion what-so-ever.

 _Jiminy Christmas, Nina! Mates?! Really?!_

Other than the slight raise of a brow, Dante didn't seem affected by the information. Not surprising given his personality. He was dominant, cocky, arrogant, and full of himself. A surgeon. And I think the idea of bedding me not only under the nose of one man but two- ballooned his already over inflated ego more.

Lowering myself against the pillows, I gave the vampire a playful coquettish smile. I was breaking character, and I didn't care. I wanted this night to end. I wanted to go home. All I needed was one good photo.

He blinked in surprise but otherwise didn't seem bothered by my sudden swing in mood. Dante wanted to hunt, but he was also an arrogant prick who thought his sexual prowess could get him any woman he wanted.

"And your mate vampire," I rolled the R with a purr, "seems rather annoyed."

Dante didn't even glance in the direction of the brunette he'd left at the bar. The woman looked positively on the verge of tears and if looks could kill I'd be dust.

He snorted in distaste, "The blood whore is not my mate."

 _Ouch._

Dante gestured to the spot beside me, "May I?"

I tilted my head and made a show of scrutinizing him before giving a single nod.

He sat beside me, leaning deep into a black crushed velvet pillow. In my periphery, I spied Trey, the expression on his face said he didn't like this. I didn't like it either. Trey adjusted his blocky glasses, taking photos with the incognito camera.

The vampire beside me took a long sip from his martini glass, watching my reaction. The copper tang hit my nose, and my heart lurched in my chest. It was blood. This club wasn't kidding when they said your most _deadly curiosities_. His pink tongue flicked out and slowly licked the blood staining his lips.

"My name is Dante," the huskier note to his voice made me feel slimy. He'd startled me, and he knew it.

"Elle."

"Elle," he said the name as if he was actually tasting it. He gave me a hungry look, his crimson orbs watching the subtle rise and fall of my chest. "Tell me, Elle, where are your mates tonight?" His eyes flicked back to mine. "I find it rather interesting they'd allow siren such as yourself out of their sight for more than a second." The lids of his eyes lowered seductively, "Or at least I wouldn't."

 _Siren? Barf._

I played along, giving him a secretive smile. "They're hunting. And they don't know I'm here." Both statements were true. Dante just didn't know how serious I was being.

With a dark chuckle, Dante leaned forward and casually traced the claw wounds in my calf. "Are you a risk taker Elle?"

 _Not by choice._

I tilted my head and ran my fingers thoughtfully down the length of my neck, which he followed with wrapped attention. "I'm here aren't I? Isn't that why any of us are in this place?"

A demon couldn't have smiled more confidently if he tried. Dante's fingers traveled higher, pausing briefly to trace the outline of the knife hidden beneath my jeans. He didn't say anything. He didn't have too. Dante liked the added element of danger. His hand gripped the inside of my thigh and squeezed. Hard.

The intimate contacted brought on a pang of guilt. I was in the dark when it came to Pakkun. Whether or not he liked me was up for debate. But I still felt bad for allowing this asshole to touch me.

Dante's lips started at my collarbone, trailing feather like kisses along my throat. He paused and experimentally scraped a fang over my rapidly beating jugular vein. My pupils dilated. It all became too real at that moment, and I growled, pushing against his chest.

Dante hissed. The fucker actually hissed at me! My eyes found Trey's, and they widened as I felt Dante's fangs pierce my skin. With a snarly-bark that closely imitated Pakkuns, I shoved at his chest. Trey was up in an instant. Dante's fangs ripped my flesh further from the force and I gave a small cry of pain. My blood was on his lips, his pupils had completely swallowed his irises and with the red contacts, it was like staring into twin crimson pools of death.

"Motherfucker!" I reeled back, and head butted him in the chin, deeply satisfied by the sound of his teeth clicking together.

"Bitch!" He moved to grab me but a booted foot pressed down on his chest. Strong arms lifted me from the floor and placed me behind an equally strong back.

"Stay down," Trey warned Dante. He glanced at me in his periphery, "You okay?"

I nodded sharply. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

Edward darted towards us from the foyer, "Excuse me-"

Trey ignored him and leveled a murderous glare on Dante. "When a woman tells you to back the fuck off-" He leaned into him, and Dante's eyes bugged from loss of breath. "-you back the fuck off!"

Edward appeared beside us, flanked by a tall willow gentleman with gray wispy hair.

"Violence is strictly prohibited at this establishment-" The willowy man blanched when I showed him my neck.

"And I was told feeding was prohibited!" I growled back.

For a guy playing a vampire, Edward looked positively green at the sight of my neck. He turned away and loosened his collar.

The older gentleman recovered, "Miss I am truly sorry-"

"Save it," I barked. The guy was probably the owner, and I could already foresee the shower of apologies and kiss assery to keep me from serving him papers. I touched Trey's forearm, his eyes hadn't even budged from Dante. "Come on."

Slowly, Trey allowed me to usher him out of The Hollows. But his eyes still never left Dante.

...

For a long stretch of road, we drove in angry silence. Using some stashed McD's napkins from the glove box, I attempt to mop up the blood on the side of my neck as I drove Trey back to his pickup.

"Stop staring," I said impatiently. The bleeding had stopped, and I shoved the dirty napkins in the cupholder.

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

I sighed, "I should've done more research. Obviously, I missed something."

"Human behavior is predictable Neens, but that guy-" He shook his head in my periphery. "-is unstable. There's no way we could've predicted him actually biting you."

I smirked, "Then stop beating yourself up about it." He opened his mouth, and I shushed him. "I know you Trey. You would've never asked me to do this even if there'd been the slightest chance of things turning south." I tilted my head and smiled at his scowl. "Like you said humans are predictable."

He blew out a breath, "Whatever."

"I bet Mrs. Finch will be thrilled to get her hands on those photos."

Trey took off the glasses and slipped them into his pocket. "Definitely."

The cab fell quiet again, but it was a comfortable silence. Rain softly began to pelt the windshield, and my mind began to wander. Why the hell had I said, mates? It's funny how the subconscious works. I'd instinctively claimed them both, yet I held no sway over either. Okay, maybe Pakkun. Not even he could deny the chemistry between us, he may not act on it but he sure as hell felt it. Lobomon on the other hand- definitely not! The guy was a douchebag with a capital D!

"Nina?"

My eyes snapped to Trey, he looked worried. "Hm?"

"You okay?"

I touched my neck, "It's fine."

"Well that too, but I actual meant whatever was on your mind." He smirked, "You look constipated."

Yeah, well Lobomon has that effect.

"I was trying to be nice and not laugh about the vultures circling you earlier." His expression became pained, and I laughed. "Did you get any numbers or were they just after your O negative?"

He didn't find it funny, but I did.

...

My hands white knuckled the steering wheel the entire way back to Mrs. De Ville's. The worry for Danny came back with a vengeance when my thoughts were no longer occupied with the craziness of the evening. I just wanted to get my brother and get the fuck home. The rain poured down in sheets, souring my mood all the more. The back roads were quickly turning to mud, and it would be my luck if I hit a flash flood.

I patted the dash of the Bronco affectionately. "Come on, girl. We've been through worse." And we had. Thankfully, the old girl was tall enough to handle driving through a few feet of rushing water.

My eyes narrowed, and I leaned over the wheel as if this would help me see any better. It didn't. The clouds were bleeding an ocean in front of the headlights. I was close to crazy old McAlister's place. Meaning our property was only two miles away, and another ten was a straight shot to Mrs. De Ville's.

A shadow darted through the headlights.

I hit the brakes. It didn't matter, the Bronco smashed into something and went sliding. I screamed as she teetered dangerously, my heart slamming against my ribcage. Cockeyed, in the middle of the road, the heavy truck came to a jerky stop.

"Fuck!" I slammed my fists against the wheel. The rampant staccato of my heart competed in volume against my ragged breathing. With shaking hands, I released the seat belt and touched my neck, rubbing the rope burn it left behind. My fingers came away slick with blood.

 _Damn._ The bite wound was bleeding again.

"What the fuck did I hit?" I groaned, the adrenaline rush waning. It was probably a deer. They had a real nasty habit of jumping out right in front of your vehicle. Reaching across the passenger seat, I opened and dug through the glove box. I grabbed the military grade flashlight my daddy always kept stashed there, cut the engine, and slowly, climbed out of the truck to inspect the damage. My insurance was um... none existent at the moment. A few dings and dents I could pop out myself, but hitting a deer can total a car. The Bronco was old and had a heavier frame than newer models, but I wouldn't be able to afford some of the older replacement parts.

Instantly I was soaked from head to toe, and I sloshed through the mud barefoot to get a good look at the front bumper and grill. I stared at the front of the truck in bewilderment there wasn't a scratch on it.

Scowling, I swept the light over the road but found no sign of a deer. Of course, I'd been doing about thirty, so there was a chance the body was in the woods. Aiming the light back at the Bronco, I carefully walked back to the driver side and stopped.

 _The hell?_

There was a deep depression between the driver side door and the wheel well. I hadn't hit anything... something had hit me. A spike of adrenaline sent my heart into an uneven rhythm. Back pressed against the truck, I scanned the eerie darkness while my free hand went for the door handle.

I thought I heard a hiss, but between the sharp tink, tink, tink of the rain hitting the Bronco's frame and the pounding of blood in my ears. It might've been the wind, but instinct called to mind black spindly bodies and mouths full of long sharp silvery teeth.

My fingers looped through the handle, I heard the click as my thumb hit the release, but the door wouldn't open. The sound of claws raking the glass right behind my head made me whimper. In my periphery, a dark shape took form. A warm breath caressed my neck.

 _Oh... god..._

Lips peeled back to reveal the fangs that have haunted my nightmares for days and it opened its maw to release a low breathy shriek. I screamed too, whirling to fend off the Xenomorph with the flashlight. Pain filled my vision white as its teeth sank into my shoulder. It yanked me off the ground, I struggled, losing the flashlight and all I could do was scream as it dragged me into the woods...

* * *

 **A/N: Happy (belated) Halloween everyone! Mwha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ah- don't hate me! I warned everyone I'd end it with a scream. So we had a bit of fun with the supernatural which was purely in the spirit of Halloween. Remember there is a reason behind everything I do. Hope everyone enjoyed it! Lots of action coming up in the following chapters! It's gonna be a bang! Thanks for all the love everyone! You guys are amazing! Sorry for any mistakes!**

 **Guest reviewers: I love you guys XD! Guest 1: Thank you for reviewing! Guest 2: I will continue to write. I promise!**

 **XxShadowfangxX: Thanks for the review! I'm so very happy you enjoyed it. The preds haven't figured out yet about her date but there's a much bigger worry at the moment. I hope you're pumped for the next chapter!**

 **Felix: OMG your teachers probably hate me! Lol! Say hello to your friends for me! I'm so glad they're enjoying it as much as you! Thank you, Felix! I love hearing from you :D**

 **K Riley: I'm glad you found Nina's version of the honeypot scenario better! Nina's definitely confused by the knife but given her current situation I doubt she minds. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanks, Riley!**

 **Rasha007: OMG a movie?! Lol. I would love to see a Predator movie where something like that actually happens. (Sighs) Sadly Hollywood would never go for it. But I shall continue to write and share! I'm so happy you enjoy both stories! Thanx for all the love!**

 **hellfire45: No reaction from Pakkun yet. Sorry about that, but I hope you enjoyed the Halloween update anyway XD**

 **Kay: LMAO- lock me in a closet, Kay! XD I love your responses! I grin like an idiot every time. Psssst- by the way, I'm still scheming ;) Chi'ytei**

 **Tenjp: Ah, thanks, for the compliment. You're so sweet! Hope you enjoyed the Halloween update!**

 **Black Cross0: (blushes like mad) Lol, no judgment. I think a lot of our minds go there. The fluff and stuff is coming I swear!... although considering the size of the preds claws she may not want the _finger_. I'm not gonna go too in-depth with the AVP and AVPR angle but it will be part of the story. The meaning behind the fourth wall is a reference to the 'barrier' between any work of fiction and its readers. If you've seen DeadPool or read the comics, he breaks the barrier all the time and speaks directly to the reader or even 'escapes' the comic. Nina wanted to break free of the comic book she thought she was being written into. Hope that made sense. Thanx, Cross! ;) **

**Luna Silvereyes: Lmao I find that awesome. You love but hate them. ;) Men are definitely the same no matter the species! Also, I have nephews so I get a lot of Danny from watching them. And eventually my brain will rub two cells together and 'poof' I'll have the ending for D.C. Thanx for the love Luna!**

 **KTCameleon: Lol, sorry I left you hanging yet again. I hope you enjoyed Nina's hunt. It didn't go as planned, but there's a reason for everything. ;) KT you are awesome! Thank you for all the support and love!**

 **angel897: Thanks for the review! I hope I've got your interest peaked!**

 **Tenfangirl: (phew wipes brow) I am glad you think I'm sticking close to the vest with the predators nature because it's really hard while trying to make it romantic and funny. There will be more on Lobomon in the future. Hope you enjoyed the Halloween update!**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmperor: I'm glad you enjoyed my use of the Yautja language. I will add more in the future. The preds didn't show up to spoil the date but that's because I have a much bigger plan in mind. Also, I'm sure there will come a time when Nina wonders how she 'stacks' up. And no judgment. We all think it. Thanx, Emperor! XD**

 **sousie: Pakkun didn't interrupt Nina's hunt, but I hope for her sake he interrupts the Xenomorphs ;) Thanx, sousie!**

 **BlackblackAngel: Thanks for the compliment. There may be 'jealousy' but it isn't something I've really seen. Predators are so sure of themselves I doubt they worry (or at least don't really show it) about things like that but we'll see. I'm sure the right circumstances will do the trick. And more of their natural instincts will kick in. Promise. Thanks, Angel.**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: I'm so pleased you like it! I hope I've got you fired up now! XD**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Thank you, Bre! I hope you enjoyed the Halloween update! :)**

 **09sasha: The fetish thing was just for the sake of Halloween. I wanted it to be a little bit themed since it wasn't actually October in the story. Sorry, the preds didn't show up but that's because I already had something bigger in mind. Hope you like it! Thank you, Sasha!**

 **KittyKatt25: Lobomons grievances towards Nina will be reveal. Promise. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanx for the review and the love!**

 **coolprix: I'm glad you love it! Hope the update leaves you on the edge of your seat! XD**

 **Zombiehorde13: Glad the story excites you. I hope it leaves you craving more ;)**

 **Haylz93: Sorry you had such a bad day. That blows. Also, I'm sorry there wasn't an earlier update. I honestly didn't finish until like 4:30 this morning. Hope you're doing better now! Hopefully, the update surpassed your expectations and you enjoyed it! Lobomons definitely twitchy and we'll explore more about him in the future. Thanks, Haylz**

 **crystalga: I adore Pakkun too. I'm sorry he didn't follow her 'hunt' but I have much bigger plans. And yes, I'd definitely ask if I could keep him too :) (Actually screw asking I'd be like MINE! ha ha ha)**

 **rybkakoi: Lol, hope the update was worth the wait. Thank you for the continued love and support.**

 **Nanku: As of yet I haven't fully determined their rank. The story is in its infancy stage and I'm not sure how deeply I will delve into the Yautja's way of life. Thank you for reading :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Cue The Dramatic Music**

The woods flashed by in a blur, the forest floor, littered with rocks, branches, roots, and anything else you could think of scratched and tore at me. The Xenomorphs fangs sunk in deep, scraping bone and fresh waves of agony wracked my body. I reached for the knife, but the aliens ridiculously fast pace and flying leaps made it impossible. In its maw, I flailed like a ragdoll. My only support was one clawed hand digging into my back which only kept me from being ripped apart by the drag.

"Let go," I wheezed. My throat was raw and scratchy from screaming. I tried to swallow but had a coughing fit for my trouble.

The elements were against me. I tried desperately to find a way to wound it, but slick from the rain my fingers slipped every time I grabbed its sloping head. If it had eyes, I would've gouged them out, but it had none. Its black carapace was smooth and unyielding, and there was no way I could hurt it. My only option was to get the knife.

The Xenomorph took another flying leap over a small ditch. The jarring motion caused the aliens teeth to scrape bone again and my vision turned white from the pain. Clearly, the alien didn't think of me as precious cargo.

 _Then why hasn't it killed me yet..._

Cold dread twisted my insides, the alien wanted me alive. Otherwise, I would've already been dead and eaten. And not particularly in that order. I had to get the knife. Full disclosure, even if I managed to get it, I didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell against this alien, but I'd rather die here in the mud, against insurmountable odds, then end up wherever it was taking me. Because I seriously doubted it was the Emerald City.

Clenching my muscles sent ripples of pain coursing through me, but I managed to snake my legs around the alien's skeletal frame, which protected me from the worst of the drag and gave me better stability. The claws dangerously close to my spine dug in deeper and the alien hissed around its mouthful of my flesh, its foul breath steaming my face.

"Hey! You think I wanna be huggin' your bony ass?!" I spat. "Don't take this the wrong way-" I clutched the back of its neck with my right hand while the other started inching towards my thigh. "-this is not a come on." My fingers brushed the tip of the sheathed blade beneath my pants. This was gonna be an awkward grab because my right hand was dominant, but I'd strapped the blade to my left thigh since the pant leg was torn off. "In fact, I find you quite hideous!"

If the Xenomorph understood, I highly doubt it gave a rip. A thesaurus has no synonym that could accurately describe the mind-numbing terror I was feeling. But it was either get angry and make jokes or turn into a gibbering incoherent mess.

The hilt of the blade was just out of reach. I tried pulling my leg up more, but the Xenomorph must've sensed something amiss and yanked on my shoulder ripping a ragged scream from my throat. Fresh tears streamed down my face, mingling with the sweat and mud caked on my cheeks.

 _Fuck!_

I still had mobility in my right arm, a good sign that there wasn't any permanent damage. Yet. One good tug and the Xenomorph would tear a chunk the size of a dinner plate out of me.

The edges of my vision began to grow dark, and I could feel my brain trying to shut out the world. But then a voice drew me back, and even through the intense pain a tiny smile edged my lips.

 _'Can I keep him, sis?'_

Danny. A raspy chuckle escaped me.

 _'Lobomon can stay too, right?'_

My eyes flicked open. When had I closed them?

I stared into the oily blackness of the Xenomorphs carapace and smiled showing teeth. "Sorry old bean," I said with my best upper crusty British accent and dove for the knife. It hurt like a bitch, and I grit my teeth against the pain. My fingers wrapped around the hilt, and it slipped free. "This is my stop." A normal blade may not have been able to pierce its steely flesh, but this dagger had been honed from a Xenomorph. I spun its perfectly balanced weight in my palm and drove the blade into the side of the aliens skull. "Because there's no way in hell I'm leaving my baby brother to be raised by those two!"

The Xenomorph dropped me, and I went rolling through the mud from the momentum until a tree stump kindly planted itself into my back and stopped me. I clapped my hands over my ears as the alien shrieked loud enough to make my eardrums bleed. A dagger to the brain hadn't killed it, but it sure pissed it the fuck off.

In the dark, the Xenomorph was a phantom, and I didn't even see it until it was right on top of me. Lightning flashed, and I got a glimpse of glistening fangs and face full of hot breath before the end came...

Bones cracked and snapped, flesh popped and tore- a shrill cry rent the night, but it wasn't me. I blinked, trying to understand what my eyes were trying to tell me. Blue energy crackled and arced, and the weapon skewering the Xenomorph decloaked.

The alien, I think momentarily stunned by the impact, suddenly lunged for me with a deafening shriek of rage. Its gnashing teeth got within a hair's breadth of my nose and snapped air. I scuttled out of reach. Pinned like a bug to a corkboard; the spear had been thrown with such tremendous force, that it embedded itself deep into the earth after impaling the Xenomorph. It clawed at the spear, thrashing its body from side to side until its yellow blood ran down the shaft in thick rivulets. The struggle lasted only seconds, its body becoming sluggish and limp, its cries dying with a final hiss.

My eyes darted around the darkened woods, "Pak-"

A shadow draped figure landed next to the dead Xenomorph, and I relaxed, recognizing the familiar humanoid shape. He wrenched the spear thingy from the carcass and dislodged the acidic blood with a sharp gesture.

"Damn," I hissed, getting to my feet on legs made of Jell-O. "Please tell me that was the last of them?"

Pakkun said nothing. It appeared as though he inclined his head in my direction, but it was hard to tell in the dark.

"Pakkun?" I shambled forward, between the blood and the muck I imagined I looked more like a zombie than the waitress had.

The point between my shoulder blades and neck tightened. "Lobomon?"

"Zabin," he rumbled softly.

I rolled my eyes. _Oh yes, definitely Lobomon._

In fact, now that we were standing so close, I wondered how I'd mistaken him for Pakkun. It was dark, sure, but Lobomon was built bigger and the ego radiating off of him could've filled a blimp.

"Thanks," I said grudgingly. The guy was a prick, but he did save my life.

He snorted.

My breath hitched as I gingerly tried to examine my shoulder. The Xenomorphs fangs penetrated deep into the muscle, and blood mingled with the rain soaking my skin. It looked bad. It felt worse but since I wasn't spurting blood, and I could still wiggle all my fingers I thought I should consider myself lucky. You know things in your life have gone awry when you think surviving an alien attack is lucky. Before this, my luck consisted of paying the power company on time and being able to feed an eight-year-old.

I crouched next to the dead Xenomorph, careful to keep my bare toes away from the pooling blood as it sizzled and gave off a foul scent worse than burning hair. I wanted my dagger back. "Can you help me with this?" I asked, noticing that the blade was trapped under its massive head.

Lobomon rumbled unintelligibly, either he didn't care, or he didn't understand. And I'd bet my seven dollar life savings on the former. I scowled up at him- the prick wasn't even looking at me, but off into the distance.

"Lobomon!" I barked. I was tired, in pain, and completely fed up with his bullshit.

His head snapped down in my direction so fast his dreads arced around his head and slapped his shoulders. It's hard to describe the type of sounds these guys make, but the snarl Lobomon gave me might've made the _Hulk_ cower in fear. Maybe I would've too if I wasn't already so fucking angry.

"Your brother gave me that dagger and I want it back."

His head tilted slightly. I'd surprised him.

Lobomon knelt down on the opposite side, grabbed the Xenomorphs head and twisted it around hard enough to snap the vertebrae.

 _Did I hit a nerve?_

The blade, highlighted by a smear of yellow, stuck out of the alien's head. Left in the wound tract; the blade had prevented excessive blood flow, and now that the alien was dead I shouldn't have to worry about getting sprayed with its caustic blood. Of course, that didn't mean I was any less freaked out by the idea of touching it.

My eyes kept darting between the blade and the alien's jaws. Its teeth stained pink with my blood. It took a moment to find my nerve, but annoyingly enough it helped that Lobomon was crouched straight across from me. Tentatively, I reached for the hilt, but it was Lobomon who grabbed it first.

He slipped it free of its fleshy sheath and flicked his wrist dislodging the blood. Moonlight broke through the clouds, the rain finally subsiding, and the unmarred obsidian blade gleamed as Lobomon scrutinized it. After a moment he inclined his head in my direction and made a rude noise as if he tasted something sour and held it out to me.

I took it, and he watched me slide it back into the thigh sheath. Lobomon cocked his head at me, and I automatically tensed up, "What? Do I have a boogie?"

My eyes strayed down I wasn't self-conscious, this was Lobomon after all, but his steady gaze bugged me enough to get a better look at myself.

"Damn," I breathed. My jeans and tank were beyond salvaging, held together only by fraying strands of fabric. My skin was scratched raw and red, bleeding from several abrasions. And tomorrow there'd be bruises. A humorless chuckle escaped me. I looked like one of those ridiculous anime chics who gets beat to hell, gets their clothes torn in the most provocative way and still manages to give off an air of badassery. I didn't feel very badass at the moment, but I was royally hacked off.

Lobomon made a contemptuous noise in the back of his throat, and my hackles sprang like daisies. He stood and my heated gaze followed the movement even though he no longer paid me any attention. What the hell did he have to be so angry about? He wasn't the one dragged through the woods like a toddler who'd discovered a kitten.

Lobomon started walking away, and I suddenly realized he'd leave me here. My eyes fell on the dead Xenomorph, if there were more of them out there, I didn't want to be alone when I found out. Lobomon was the better of two evils. Not by much, but better.

"Wait?!" I croaked, voice hoarse from the abuse. He didn't pause. He didn't even look back, and the fear of being alone- gave my exhausted body another spike of adrenaline. I was on my feet and the next thing I knew I'd caught up to him and grabbed his forearm.

He jerked away, nearly sending me sprawling again, but I caught myself and steeled my resolve. Lobomon snarled in my face, and I gritted my teeth at him, compelled by unholy forces and enough rage to burn down half the state I held my ground. "Motherfucker you are not gonna leave me here!"

"Pauk'n zabin!" He snarled, attempting to scare me by stepping into me and looming over me.

The slits in his helmet were solid black, but I knew better than to try and meet his eyes. I settled for crossing my arms over my chest and meeting him tit-for-tat by closing the space until our skin touched. The heat of his flesh warmed my clammy skin, and I tried to ignore the fact that my barely covered breasts made skin to skin contact. But I'd done what I set out to do. I'd startled him. He expected me to cower, to run, I'd done neither.

Lobomon stiffened, the growl vibrating in his chest faltered at the contact. For a being such as Lobomon, it was the equivalent of taking a step back. I smiled. It was a small victory, but I'd made the Don of all things nightmarish blink first. Lobomon shook his head, fists curling and uncurling at his sides as he growled in annoyance. He'd fucked up, and he knew it.

I'd made my point. Not wanting to tempt fate, I took a generous, step back and waited for his next move. Lobomon clicked unintelligibly, inclining his head as he followed my movement. With a gruff bark, he turned in the opposite direction giving me his back.

I frowned, debating whether or not he was dismissing me again. Lobomon looked back at me from over his shoulder and barked impatiently. Gripping my bleeding shoulder, I carefully sidled up on his left making sure to put comfortable space between us. He didn't look at me again, just started forward and I followed.

His long strides were exactly like him, big, powerful, aggressive, and a pain in the ass. My short legs and I had a hard time keeping up. I was trying to get my bearings, but every time I paused he'd end up twenty feet ahead. After about the fourth time I gave up and settled on glaring holes in the back of his thick skull.

 _Explode, explode, explode!_

He tilted his head to glance at me, and I smiled serenely. Or at least I tried, the pain made it hard to do more than bare teeth at him. He turned away with a snort. I rolled my eyes, but even that hurt and I winced.

The adrenaline had worn off, and I was left to deal with every tiny twinge, every ache, and every sharp knife of pain the wounds inflicted upon me. It was intense, and I'd be lying if I said a few tears didn't stray from the corners of my eyes. But I dealt with it quietly. Lobomon already thought of me as weak. No amount of tears would sway him to help me or even slow down. If I fell behind, he'd leave me.

Moonlight glinted off Lobomon's gear, the spear back in its compactable size rested against his broad shoulders. The armor he wore looked heavier than Pakkuns, and like Pakkun's, it had been strategically placed to cover vital points. The large gaps between the armor where flesh showed through was covered by the same hooker style thin metal mesh. I'm sure it served a purpose other than showing off their powerful physiques, but I hadn't a clue what.

Shadows played across the skin visible under the mesh. The brothers were the same height, but Lobomon had probably an extra eighty pounds or more of straight up muscle. I've seen Pakkun rip a Xenomorph apart with raw strength alone and it was terrifying to imagine the kind of damage a pissed off Lobomon could inflict.

 _Like a stick of dynamite with mandibles._ I chuckled softly and winced as it sent pinpricks of pain running through my shoulder.

My eyes flicked to Lobomon once more, and I found myself studying the plethora of scars crisscrossing his back. This species, whatever they are, seemed to take great pride in their scars. Wearing them like badges of honor and making no attempt to hide them. Pakkun even liked it when I touched and paid attention to them...

 _Lightbulb!_

"Lobomon?"

No response. No surprise, but I wouldn't let it deter me. Lobomon and I may never be _friendly,_ but I bet a little nudge to his ego might help with the stick wedged up his ass.

"Lobomon-" He growled softly, and goose flesh sprang from the base of my spine to my scalp so fast it hurt. I ignored the warning, but I also allowed him to get slightly further ahead before continuing. "-the bite scar on your left hip was that made by a kiande amedha?"

He stopped. He actually stopped and cocked his head to look over his shoulder at me.

My eyes flicked between the fresh wound in my shoulder and the old scar on his hip as I slowly approached him. "Nope, I'm wrong. Whatever bit you," I cocked my head and scrutinized the ragged edges, "probably had serrated teeth."

His head followed me as I came up alongside him. I tried to calm the sudden racing of my heart because I knew he could hear it. My eyes traveled up to the jaw bone lining the underside of his helmet, "Was it that thing?" I pointed.

For a tense moment, he did nothing but stare at me from behind those empty black pools then slowly his chin dipped in confirmation.

"Was it big?"

Lobomon took a half step and faced me fully. Evidently, my curiosity was confusing the hell out of him. Without being able to see his face or eyes, I took most of my cues from his posturing. But it was the lack of growling that led me to believe I'd confused him. Lobomon is never quiet.

"Was it a creature from your planet?" I continued and started walking again. In truth, I had no idea which way we were going but when Lobomon paced me and said nothing I figured it was the right direction.

"M-di," he rumbled.

I frowned up at him, "M-di?"

"No," he rasped.

My frown deepened, "No it wasn't from your planet?"

He gave a curt nod.

"Oh," I looked away in time to notice a tangle of roots and stepped over them instead of tripping. "So was it big then?"

He shook his head, "Fasssst."

"Fast? Faster than the kiande amedha?"

He nodded, "Sei-i."

 _Well, that's terrifying._

My eyes drifted to the skulls at his hip, ignoring the human one, I stared curiously at a specimen twice the size of the others with four eye sockets and a zillion hypodermic needle-like teeth.

"And this one?" I asked. Giving the freaky skull a quick tap.

His head tilted sharply in my direction. I thought maybe I'd upset him by touching the trophy, but he didn't snarl, so that's a good sign. Lobomon lifted his wrist and tapped a few buttons on the gauntlet. My mouth formed an O of surprise as a small hologram winked into existence above the gauntlet. The Treky fangirl in me squealed in delight.

The image spun slowly, the creature lashed its twin tails angrily. Its body reminded me of a komodo dragon, while its head with its four eyes and needle sharp teeth looked vaguely insect in appearance. The aliens hide was black, cracked with fishers of molten red like a cooling lava.

"Damn. How many did you kill?"

He held up one massive hand, closed his fist, then held up four fingers.

"Shit," I breathed, it was impressive. "Those creatures must not have had a lick of self-preservation."

Lobomon threw an arm out in front of me. I stopped and looked up at him quizzically. He cocked his head, and I found my ability to keep confusing him funny. _"... lick of self-preservation."_ The distorted recording of my voice played back.

I arched a brow, "Lobomon have you seen you?"

He said nothing, just continued to stare quietly.

"You're terrifying," I said matter of factly.

Lobomon dropped his arm, and I nearly jumped out of my skin as a bark of laughter bellowed up from his chest. I'd never heard him laugh before. I imagine if a grizzly could laugh it would sound the same. It was hair-raising, and I stifled the urge to step away from him.

Lobomon started forward again, and I followed. "Where are we going?" Now that he wasn't constantly growling at me, I thought maybe he'd answer. I still wasn't sure where we were, but there was a familiarity to this place.

"Kv'var," he said gruffly. Moving through the dense brush with ease and a silence that belied his size. Unable to match his pace I fell behind. I tried to keep up, but my body wasn't having it.

"Kv'var," I wheezed, the bite felt more like hot pokers under my skin. "That means hunt right?"

"Sei-i."

I blinked up, startled to find him standing next to me.

He glanced at my shoulder then away. "Slooow, ooman."

I blew out a breath, "Bite me."

He cocked his head and trilled softly.

"It's a figure of speech. So don't bite me."

He laughed. The unexpected sharp noise made me cringe. I studied him in my periphery, shocked that he seemed to be keeping stride with me, instead of moving ahead and away.

"Are there many left?" I glanced up at him, "I'm not gonna be much help." I looked away when his gaze fell on me again. "But I'll do my best."

"Kv'var kiande lou dte'kalei," his dark, gravelly voice cut through the silence. In Louisiana, especially at night, its never quiet. Lobomon wasn't attempting to hide himself and his presence turned even the most competitively noisy insects into mutes.

"English, please," I sighed. The pain making my voice growly.

"HunTing hard meaT Queeen."

 _Queen?_

"Just the queen?"

He nodded.

 _If she's all that's left, then he can probably handle it without me._

"So if there's a queen does that mean the rest of the Xenomorphs are males?"

"No... all female."

My brows raised, "So... what? They're asexual?"

He did the head tilt thing, and I smiled. "They don't need males to reproduce?" I amended.

He nodded.

I laughed, and he made a confused noise in the back of his throat. "Well, that blows. No wonder they're all so pissed off."

He didn't seem to get the humor.

"Lobomon they reproduce without sex." I snorted, "I'd want to kill everything too."

Lobomon said nothing, but then again I hadn't expected him too. We walked in -dare I say it- companionable silence for another few minutes when a foreboding barn stuck out in a clearing like we'd walked right into a B horror movie. I paused and scanned the terrain.

"This is McAlister's place," I said finally. The old Airstream RV parked in front of the dilapidated house was a dead giveaway. I hadn't recognized it at first because we'd cut through the land, instead of walking the beaten path. Was the queen here? Is this where the Xenomorph had been taking me.

I swallowed, "Lobomon. Why didn't Xenomorph kill me?" The pain intensified as if to remind me. The wound was bad, but not as bad as it could've been. Why had it wanted me alive?

"Kiande amedha neeeed hosT for haTchlings."

 _Hatchlings... host?!_ A very ugly picture was forming in my mind.

"The queen lays eggs... and when they hatch the babies require a host?"

"Sei-i," he grunted and started towards the barn.

 _Oh, goodie._

My lips thinned, "We're not going in there are we?"

The barn was backlit by the moon, casting it in eerie shadow. One of the big double doors sat ajar, and beyond that was a darkness so dense that from this distance it played tricks on the eye. For a moment I could almost swear it was a swirling mass of black spindly bodies but then I blinked, and it looked solid again.

Lobomon gave a curt nod.

"Of course, we are," I grumbled, slipping the knife free. It felt awkward in my left hand, but I wasn't about to walk into an aliens version of the _Chainsaw Massacre_ and not be armed.

Lobomon stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. I flinched, but he wasn't hurting me. "Sssstay," he rasped.

I stared up at him incredulously, "And what? Wait for one of its babies to come find me out here alone?" I faced him fully, "Is that why Pakkun isn't here? He's taking care of more of the adult kiande amedha?"

"Sei-i."

I shook my head, "I'm tired of living in fear of these bitches." He tensed but didn't pull away as I laid my hand over his. "I'm with you big guy whether you like it or not." My gaze snapped to the barn, "Let's finish this."

The hand at my shoulder slid away, and together we silently made our way towards our doom- er barn. I meant the barn. My eyes flicked to the broken planks of a pigpen, and I ignored the lumpy shadows, the buzzing of hundreds of flies, and the vile scent of rotting meat as we passed.

Lobomon kept me behind him, which I found rather strange. But then again he probably didn't want the noisy _zabin_ getting in the way. He stopped suddenly, and I nearly face planted into his back.

"Lo-"

He cut off my quiet protest with a sharp gesture, making a slicing motion in the air. I got the hint and shut up. I couldn't see over his massive shoulders and wanted to know what exactly he was looking at. I took a step to the side, and like our place, McAlister used outdoor motion sensors. Twin lights blinked on, bright enough that it forced me to shut my eyes or risk searing my retinas.

Loboman snarled at me. If the queen didn't know we were coming, she did now. Oops.

Lobomon grumbled and huffed "zabin" under his breath. With a roar, he charged through the open door, and I charged in after him still blinking away the spots in my vision. The light from the outside partially lit up the interior, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

The inside of the barn was covered floor to rafters in a dark organic resin. It was visibly damp, and the formations of thicker resin gave it the appearance of a fleshed-out ribcage. Cocooned in the wall, I found crazy old McAlster and his mean Rotty too. They'd been dead for awhile, the scent of decay warring with molding hay and strangely rotten eggs. Sulfur maybe?

A closer inspection of the bodies revealed their chests had been ripped open. The rib bones were broken outward which filled in the gaps on my mental image of being a baby Xenomorphs host. They'd probably died when the babies burst out of their chests. Now that is a painful way to die.

I swallowed thickly, feeling slightly light headed. That could've been me.

Below McAlister's dangling feet sat a large ovalish fleshy bulb with four petals flared open at the top and veiny roots stretching out from the base. My hackles rose as I found several more bulbs scattered around the floor, but these ones were closed.

 _Eggs..._

Lobomon snarled, and my head whipped towards him. The hunter, his back to me, stepped between me and the eggs. He roared again, and my eyes traveled up and to the far end of the barn.

At first, I wasn't sure what I was looking at. It was a huge, slightly translucent and gelatinous sack thing hanging down and curving around one of the support beams. I followed it with my eyes and watched in sick horror as an egg made its way out of a slimy opening. My eyes snapped back to the ceiling, a long black widowy-esque leg broke free of the pool of shadow. As more and more of the queen peeled away from the darkness, the more my eyes widened and the harder my heart began to pound.

The queen's lips quivered up, showing an impressive set of teeth. A mock crown made of her bony carapace flared out from the back of her skull. The queen looked exactly like her kin, all except for that crown and the terrifying fact that she was easily twenty times bigger.

"Lo-"

The queen raised up on hind legs, revealing a second set of spindly arms and shrieked at us. High and piercing, the sound sent my bravado scrambling for the hills, and I clamped my hands over my ears and bit my tongue to keep from screaming.

"Lobomon! You didn't think to tell me the queen was _King Kong_ sized?!"

He snarled, his body tense and ready for battle.

"How the fuck-"

Lobomon cut me off with another snarly bark.

"Oh, great! I see you've devolved back to ape-man sounds!"

The fleshy eggs on the floor began to quiver as if they sensed their _host_ was near. I took a step back, and my heel sent an empty mason jar skittering into a bed of hay. My brows furrowed, more glass mason jars caught the light coming in through the door. The reek of sulfur clung to the back of my throat but beneath that foul smell was another. The sharp edge of rubbing alcohol. I heard the whirring sound of Lobomons shoulder cannon, my eyes widened, I turned to the hunter and shouted, "Don't-"

It was too late. He fired several shots and the force of the explosion hit me like a big rig. The scorching wave of heat swept me off my feet and tossed me ass over tea kettle out of the barn. What oxygen remained in my lungs burst from my chest as I hit the mud with the impact of a meteorite striking the earth.

My ears were ringing, and there was a soft orange glow pressing against my closed eyelids. Lungs screaming for air, I dragged in a shuddering breath and coughed as the acrid taste of smoke stung the back of my throat. I took in another shaky breath and wished I hadn't. I sputtered and coughed again, and my mouth tasted like dirty pennies.

The agonized shrieks of the Xenomorph Queen registered over the sharp ringing in my ears. With a pained groan, my eyes cracked open, and the soft orange glow turned into an intense blaze.

 _Oh... god..._

The fire was already out of control, consuming the barn like dryer lint. The crazy old fool had been distilling moonshine. I had to get up. And we had to get out of here before any more of McAlister's nasty surprises went off and lit this property up like a Roman fucking Candle.

With a tiny cry, I pushed myself up onto my knees and searched for Lobomon.

 _What... where is-_

A roar of rage jerked my head back towards the quickly burning barn. My heart lodged itself in my throat. The idiot was still inside. They were bigger than us, stronger than us, but highly doubted they were flame retardant.

"Lobomon-" I choked, tears welling in my eyes as I fought to swallow enough moisture to scream. "- get out!"

He roared again. Louder this time. And the desperate sound helped me find the strength to get back up on my feet. Something was very wrong. I stared at the wall of flame and thought of my brother. Going back in was suicide. My hands shook, and I fisted them.

 _Lobomon..._ My heart squeezed painfully, then burst into a full tilt sprint.

"Damn it!" With the loping grace and speed of a three-legged turtle, I raced to my doom. And this time, I do mean doom. "Lobomon I swear if I die I'm coming back to haunt your fugly ass!"

* * *

 **A/N: I know I'm cruel! ;) Uh-oh, Lobomon's inability to think first might spell disaster for the two of them. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and literally got done within seconds before posting it. I'm super pumped about the next one! Oh, my god, there's so many of you wonderful readers now! I'm ecstatic and super lucky! You guys are awesome! Thanks for all them favs, follows, and reviews. Sorry for mistakes! Hope everyone enjoyed the update! Yautja definitions at the end.**

 **sousie: Thanks for the review! ;)**

 **KittyKatt25: Nina's a little confused with claiming them both too but it's not at the forefront of her mind at the moment. She's got bigger problems. ;)**

 **Rasha007: Lol you guessed right about the queen. I'm so glad you like the bar scene because it was tough to write. Hope you liked the update! Thanks, Rasha! :)**

 **shiftingshadow963: Glad you like it so far! Thanks for the review!**

 **TempestinTime: I'm thrilled you enjoy my story. I respond to reviews because it's a good way to thank reviewers and answer questions. Also, many reviewers sign in as guests so I can't PM them, so writing a response at the end is all I can do. I'll cut back if I can. Thank you :)**

 **angel897: I hope you liked the update! Thanks, angel! XD**

 **Kay: Lol, no Kay! Come back into the light! Hopefully, this chapter will jump started your heart again! Kay, I truly love our playful banter! Thanx my friend XD Chi'ytei**

 **Tenjp: Lol, your review was so fun. I smiled from ear to ear! Hope you enjoyed the update! ;)**

 **Black cross0: Happy belated birthday! Yes, Mr. Finch sucked at being a vampire, lol. Thanks for the continued support! ;)**

 **XxShadowfangxX: Only time will tell if both preds end up as her mates. So glad you like it! Thanx, Shadow**

 **crocfarmer: Okay, its totally weird to call you anything but Felix, but I like the 'crocfarmer' lol. OMG you have a cool teacher. Lol, I think I left you on the edge of your seat again with this one! Hope you and your friends enjoyed. XD**

 **Hefster: Lol, indeed someone did forget the queen. Thanks for the review!**

 **Evilservant1094: Thanx for the support! Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Tenfangirl: I think the knife came in handy. Hopefully, it will again. I'm thrilled you enjoyed the last chapter!**

 **Guest reviewers: Guest 1: Thanx! Glad you love it! Guest 2: I will continue to write! Guest 3: You're fabulous**

 **flor do aurora: I'm glad you found her hunt fun! Hope you enjoyed the update XD**

 **DiamondDi: Lol, and I jump for joy every time you comment! It's so sweet and makes my day! Thanx, Di**

 **09sasha: Lol, she's okay or as okay as she can be with her injuries and facing a queen. I know I'm mean. ;)**

 **Nanku: Thanks for the love. Sorry for the cliffy ;)**

 **crystalga: Lol, I'm sorry. I know I'm mean! But I hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx XD**

 **fallenfaeangel: I'm glad you enjoy my story. I know cliffhangers blow! It's hard to condense the comments because theres so many reviewers now but I will try. :)**

 **KTCameleon: I hope the update was worth the wait. Her subconscious may have a little 'thing' for Lo. So thrilled you enjoyed the last chapter because the bar scene was a butt, lol. Thanx, KT!**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: Thanx for the compliment (smiles happily). Hope you enjoyed the update! ;)**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Oh yes shit has definitely hit the fan! XD**

 **kimah36: Thanx, for the continued support! More Xeno action coming up ;)**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanx, Bre**

 **1WhoLoves2ReadAlot: Thanx for the support! Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **K Riley: I think she put the gift to good use. ;)**

 **Shenandoah76209: I'm so happy you're enjoying the story. Nina definitely has a lot of trouble that comes her way. Thanx for the review!**

 **Haylez93: Lol, definitely poor Trey. I think bad luck sticks to Nina like gum stuck on the bottom of your favorite shoes. Hope the update was worth it and left you on the edge of your seat! XD**

 **BlackblackAngel: I'm glad you enjoyed the ending. Thanx for the support Angel! :)**

 **Becka3490: Hi, Becka! Thanx for the review! It makes me happy that you like it XD**

 **CieloDistante: Wow, thank you so much for that review. It was so sweet! It brightened my day right up!**

* * *

 **Yautja def:**

 **~kiande lou dte'kalei: hard queen (I think I** **got the translation right)**

 **~M-di: No**

 **~Kiande Amedha: Hard meat/Xenomorph**

 **~Kv'var: Hunt**

 **~Sei-i: Yes**

 **~Zabin: Insect**

 **~Ooman: Human**

 **~Pauk: Fuck**


	12. Chapter 12

**I Am Not Mad Max!**

"Damn it!" With the loping grace and speed of a three-legged turtle, I raced to my doom. And this time, I do mean doom. "Lobomon I swear if I die I'm coming back to haunt your fugly ass!"

The smoke stung the back of my throat and eyes, tears streamed down my face, and I tried to take controlled breaths. Lowering my body mass, I recalled the fire drills in grade school and tried to stay under the smoke. Easier said than done in this case because I was trying to go back into the bowels of hell and not out. Or at least this is what I imagined the bowels of hell would smell like- burning bodies and sulfur.

The door that had been standing ajar was now thrust open and hanging off its hinges thanks to the blast, but the fire licked out of the opening like a ravenous beast, eagerly waiting to consume me. I broke out in a sweat all over, and it evaporated just as quickly. Carefully, I skirted the small path between the two doors where the fire hadn't touched yet, but in a matter of minutes, there would be no way out. I liked my fried chicken extra crispy- can't say I'll ever touch the stuff again after this.

The barns frame groaned loudly, and burning hay fell from the haymow in the upper storage area in the rafters. The dirt floor helped, but my bare feet were still subjected to an extreme version of firewalking. In some cultures, it's a test of courage and strength. For me, it was a test not to crouch and pee on my own feet to make the burning stop.

"Lobomon?" I called, but my voice sounded weak and tinny even to my ears.

A shrill cry made me yelp and turn towards the back of the barn; her highness, was still alive and she was very, very angry. The flames were consuming her eggs- consuming her egg sac and she screamed in rage and agony. Teeth bared she turned her obsidian carapace in my direction and hissed. The message was very clear: this is your fault, and I'm gonna eat you. She gave another high-pitched cry and jerked her head. The barn groaned, and more debris rained down from above. Again, and again, she thrashed, and I wonder why I was still standing and not half way down her gullet.

The sharp jangle of metal brought my gaze up, and I realized she'd gotten her crown tangled in the heavy duty chain of a pulley system attached to the rafters above her. If she kept jerking, the whole structure would collapse.

 _Lobomon..._

"Lo-"

A snarly bark had me whirling around. I coughed, lowering myself more. I spotted the big dummy but stared in confusion as his head jerked from side to side. He'd take a step one way, backtrack, then another way only to backtrack again. He snarled in frustration and made a weird trilling sound I'd never heard before.

"Lobomon!"

His head snapped in my direction but its like he wasn't seeing me at all.

"Lobomon," I started towards him, "It's just me-" He snarled, and I flinched. The barn creaked, and a support beam snapped the sound like gunfire directly in my ear. I swallowed the scream that lurched in my throat and fought the dizzying waves of panic. My heart pounded so loudly it warred for volume over the crackling of the fire and the enraged shrieks of the queen.

"Lobomon-"

He spun towards me, the blades in his gauntlets fully extended and ready to strike me down.

"-it's Nina! Zabin!"

He froze, one arm raised above his head. If he brought it down, he'd cleave me into three pieces.

"Lobomon," I squinted up at him through the smoke and the tears welling in my eyes from the sting. The helmet he wore was cracked, and the slits were no longer blacked out. Fluorescent green blood seeped out of a small break above his right temple. One amber orb and one silver darted down at me, yet I knew he still wasn't _seeing_ me. He closed his eyes tight, shaking his head, dreads swinging as he trilled in frustration.

 _Why can't you see me-_ _the helmet! Duh, Nina!_

The brothers have been wearing those helmets since day one and rarely were without them. I thought maybe it was ritualistic and even suspected it had something to do with breathing our atmosphere, but clearly, it was a much more complex piece of equipment than I ever imagined.

A cross beam above us splintered, and the whole damn barn gave a throaty whine and began to sag. I yelped and grabbed ahold of Lobomon's midsection without thinking. He snarled and grabbed my bad shoulder causing me to cry out. My vision blurred, nausea rolled in my gut, and I swallowed down bile. He tensed, and let go of my shoulder.

"Lo-" My voice quavered so bad I wasn't sure if he could hear it. "- we have to get out of here." I'd practically collapsed into him, and my sweaty face rubbed against his taut abdomen, the mesh scratching my cheeks, but I barely felt it. "You have to trust me," I wheezed, pulling back so I could look up at him. My fingers curled into the mesh, "I will be your eyes."

His mismatched orbs were trying to find me, but it was a struggle for him to keep them open. He shook his head with a snarl and tried to pull away from me. The barn gave another ominous groan, and I pressed myself flush against him and did what I do best. I got angry. "Listen here you retarded Klingon! We are not dying just because you don't want to accept help from an _ooman_! Or _zabin_ , or whatever the hell else you call me!"

He snorted. And I reached a level of anger that bordered on crazy.

"Seriously?!" I jumped up and grabbed the underside of his helmet, forcing his head down with all my weight. He snarled, and I snarled back, "Damn it Lobomon! Is dying worth your pride?! That's dishonorable!"

He jerked as if I'd slapped him. I've been watching these guys long enough to know they lived by a code of honor. And I was hoping a kick below the belt might get him moving.

"Now you're gonna listen to me or so help me I will ground you for a month!" I growled, through gritted teeth, putting every ounce of authority I possessed and some I borrowed from Pakkun behind my voice. I released my grip on his helmet and grabbed one of his hands and yanked. "Now move your ass!"

He trilled angrily but allowed me to guide him. He even lowered his body mass, when I tugged his hand to follow me down. Lobomon was still too big, he couldn't stay under the smoke the way I could, and in the back of my mind I worried he might suffer smoke inhalation, but I stored my concerns for later. Right now we just had to get out. Smoke inhalation would be the least of our problems if the place collapsed on top of us or we became trapped.

Something shrieked and skittered in my periphery. Lobomon grunted as he ran into me. A creature about the size of a house cat with a body similar to a scorpion raced around screaming as fire consumed it.

 _A hatchling._

I ignored the freaky alien baby and carefully skirted a fallen beam. Our progress was painfully slow. My eyeballs felt like they were boiling in their sockets, and I was having a hard time seeing through the blur of tears. We were almost to the door when I heard it, the queen's shrill cry and the deafening crack of wood splintering. My head snapped towards the queen. I saw her rise up over her dead offspring and watched in horror as she ripped herself away from the remnants of the egg sac. If she had eyes, they would be locked with mine as she lunged forward with an angry cry. The chain still caught in her crown pulled tight, and the rafters holding her in place buckled.

"Run!" I shouted. I pulled Lobomon along, throwing caution to the wind because this baby was coming down.

The way to the door was free of debris, but the frame was sagging hard to the left.

 _We're gonna make it! We're gonna make it-_

The frame snapped.

 _We're so_ not _gonna make it!_

"Lobomon! The door its- hey!"

Lobomon picked me up in his arms and ran. He must've been able to see the welcoming night beyond the flames and saw it vanishing the same way I did.

I clutched at him and buried my face in his chest as I screamed. Lobomon's large hand cupped the back of my head. He roared, and I felt weightless for a moment as he threw us down and choked as the breath was crushed from my chest when we went rolling. I heard the queen give a loud cry a split second before the barn caved in.

We slid to a stop, and I heard nothing else but the ragged sound of my breathing and the heavy wild gallop of both our hearts. I laid there, unable to move, and not because I couldn't but because Lobomon had a death grip on me.

 _It's over._

I relaxed, though not entirely because part of my brain was still hyper aware of how close we were to the fire. We needed to keep moving, but I was so goddamn tired. Lobomon and Pakkun, they were built like fleshy tanks. Humans can take a lot of punishment, but the fight had left me. I laid there on top of Lobomon, listening as his breaths evened out, and feeling the vibrations of his chest as he made unintelligible noises.

Lobomon shifted and started to get up, I hissed, a whine curling in my throat. Everything hurt, I hated the sounds escaping my lips and mentally begged the sudden shaking of my body to stop. Lobomon froze, and I flinched afraid he'd shove me away angrily at the weak display and call me _zabin_. I'm not sure why the thought bothered me so much. It shouldn't. But it did.

The hand at the base of skull slid deeper into my hair. A soft rumbling resonated from deep within his chest, the innocuous sound confusing and comforting. My limbs stopped shaking, lulled into limpness by the oddly soothing vibrations. I've heard this sound before, only once, but it had been Pakkun at the time, and it had caught us both off guard. Purring must be an instinctual reaction when faced with a distraught female, though, recalling Pakkuns surprise, I rather doubted that it was intended for human females. But as weird as that moment in the kitchen had been with Pakkun, this one trumped it. Lobomon wasn't the gentle type. And when it came to me, anything less than surly was unnatural.

Wincing, I pushed myself up to get a better look at him. The hand in my hair tightened, the muscles of his arms swelling to keep me from moving. Maybe the guy hit his head harder than I initially thought.

"Lo?" I said worriedly.

The purring faltered but didn't stop. Lobomon's grip loosened, allowing me to sit up but he didn't let go. His large hands kept a firm grip on my bare thighs, holding me to him. It was weird. And completely out of character. My wary gaze met his mismatched orbs, but there was no hesitation or malice there. The purring intensified, and the grip on my thighs became almost painful.

I sucked in an uneven breath, "Lo-"

The world spun, my back pressed into the cold, wet mud. I had half a second to think _what the fuck_ before a thunderous crack and a familiar shrill cry of rage turned the blood in my veins to ice. Lobomon was on his feet, taking an aggressive stance in front of me.

I rolled on my side, watching in horror as the queen struggled to free herself. I swallowed hard, the huge Xenomorph's once smooth obsidian carapace was ashen and melted on one side revealing pale bone, fangs, and tendons. The fire ate her steely hide as if it were crayons. She shrieked again, jerking herself free and collapsing onto the ground. The queen rolled in the mud, staunching the fire still eating her limbs.

Lobomon's body shifted, legs wide, back arched, he was ready for round two. I looked at the queen. She shook herself like a dog, then turned her grotesque head in our direction and opened her mouth with a menacing hiss.

Lobomon growled back, and I stared up at him. I couldn't see his eyes, but I was positive he was having trouble seeing the Xenomorph Queen with her so close to the fire. Lobomon and Pakkuns, species, appeared to have infrared based vision or something akin to it. And the helmets must give them the ability to see in a variety of spectra. If that's the case, then we needed to draw the queen away from the fire to give Lobomon the advantage.

I tried to get to my feet, tried not to whimper, but failed at both and fell back on my ass. Lobomon glanced at me from over his shoulder, observed my struggle and turned his attention back to the queen. I stiffened, there had been nothing but bloodlust in his eyes.

"Lo," I licked my lips, keeping one eye on the queen and the other on the hunter. My strength had fled, making me dead weight and we both knew it. "Lo, I ca-" I bit my tongue. I couldn't fight, but I had a feeling admitting it out loud would only destroy the minuscule amount of respect between us I'd just risked my life to earn.

Gritting my teeth, I got my feet under me and managed a shaky crouch. "Lo," my voice trembled. "Use me." Maybe I couldn't fight but given the proper motivation -and if a thirty foot tall Xenomorph isn't proper motivation then I don't know what is- I could run.

Lobomons muscles tensed, but he made no other inclination that he'd heard me. His species probably didn't even have a word for retreat. Lobomon would fight until one or both of them were dead. The big dummy didn't even care that he was at a disadvantage. Maybe he didn't have a word for retreat, but I imagined he'd have a few more colorful words for me once I forced his hand.

I staggered to my feet, my eyes flicked to the queen. She was breathing heavily, her body oozing yellow blood from dozens of wounds. Xenomorphs seemed to be capable of running on all-fours or upright, reaching speeds no human could outrun unless you were the _Flash_. In my periphery, I eyed the dense foliage. Would it be enough of an advantage?

The queen's jaws opened wider, the second set of jaws slowly slid out and snapped at the air. Her attention zeroed in on me, the same way my attention zero's in on the last chocolate cupcake at Devil Cakes on 5th. If I ran, she'd chase me. We stared at one another, my wild pulse filling my ears. She hissed, and my body hit me with a molotov cocktail of adrenaline.

Lobomons head snapped to look at me from over his shoulder. My treacherous heart beat must have given me away, but I didn't dare meet his gaze. He snarled, he knew I was up to something, but I doubted even he could've anticipated the level of stupidity I was treading.

The queen shrieked stealing the hunter's attention off me, giving me an opening.

"I'll distract her, Lo!" I shouted and darted to the right, legs already pumping at full tilt. Lobomon roared, and the queen gave a high pitch cry that stung my exposed flesh like thousands of angry hornets. For the second time tonight I was playing bait.

The ground was soft from the rain, but with the burns on my feet, I might as well have been running on broken glass. I raced through the woods with all the stealth of a drunk boar. The queen was hot on my heels, but the trees grew closer together here making her plight much more difficult, than my own.

I leapt over a moss covered log and a second later it snapped under the queen's feet. Fear is definitely, a great motivator. I found my second wind and kept going. I ran until my lungs burned more than my feet; ran until the stitch in my side was more of a rail spike jabbed between my ribs. The ground shook violently beneath me. The queen wasn't losing steam, but I was.

 _Don't look back!_ That's how they always get you. I swallowed around the golf ball sized lump in my throat and chanted in _Dori's_ singsong voice. _Just keep running. Just keep running._ The queen shrieked, and I swear I felt her hot breath fan my neck. _Just keep running! JUST KEEP RUNN-_ I looked back, saw fangs and screamed.

In the span of a heartbeat several things happened all at once, and if my brain hadn't been so doped up on adrenaline, I might've missed it. The Xenomorph's inner jaws sprang forth, Lobomon appeared in my periphery and landed on the queen's head forcing her outer jaws to forcefully click shut, and bite into the gnashing smaller appendage. She reared back- Lobomon grabbed the chain still tangled in her crown, leaped from her carapace and forcefully dragged her head down and around with his momentum and strength until she fell on her side. Her tail swung in a deadly arc like she'd been trying to catch herself and it cut through half a dozen trunks as if they were paper.

Hissing and spitting acid, the queen fought to get on her feet. Her tail continued to whip wildly, in an attempt to skewer Lobomon. The hunter dodged, and the queen changed tactics. I never saw it coming, but Lobomon did. He grabbed me, and my heart froze in my chest as his body jerked and I heard the sickening sound of tearing flesh. Lobomon snarled, and suddenly we were airborne. He pivoted sharply, his body jerked again, and the squelchy rip of flesh caused me to whimper in sympathy. Lobomon landed on his feet but went down on one knee. His breathing was labored, but his eyes remained fixed on the queen.

My dangling toes swept through something warm and wet, I pushed against his chest. But the arms holding me were stronger than braided steel.

"Lo, your hurt!"

He snorted. "Hulij-bpe pauk'n _zabin_!"

"Hey, I didn't see you coming up with any bright ideas!"

His enraged mismatched orbs caught mine and his deep gravely voice ground out, "Recklesss ooman!"

"Ha! I'm the reckless one?!" I seethed, pushing against his stupidly thick chest. Where's a damn sledgehammer when you need it? "You're one to talk! If I hadn't rabbited and used myself as bait, you'd already be Xenomorph chow dummy!"

He snorted in disdain, "Zabin!"

"That's it!" I shoved at him again and again. "Put me down!" I kicked and caught the wound in his thigh, making him growl. "Put me down!"

Lobomon roared angrily and obliged by dropping me like a bag of feral cats. Luckily, the jerk was crouched otherwise it probably would've hurt a lot more.

I glared up at him, but the queen's low hiss brought my head up and around so fast I'd probably suffer whiplash. My eyes widened, the queen was getting up.

"Pick me, up! Pick me, up!" I squawked, practically throwing myself into his arms. He grunted and made a bemused sound in the back of his throat as he caught the underside of my legs and transitioned from the ground to the branches in one smooth motion.

The queen was on her feet.

"What are you waiting for?!" I said shrilly, fingers digging into his skin. The narrowing of his eyes and the flexing of his arms suggest he was warring with his instinctual desire to fight and not to run, and his new found need to protect me. Maybe he felt honor bound because I'd saved his life, but the idea of running was dishonorable to him. The queen shrieked and raced towards us. "Lo! Regrouping is not the same thing as running!"

Jaws open, the queen leaped up, and Lobomon jumped and whirled away at the same time. With an annoyed grunt, he surprised me by actually listening to reason and started putting distance between us, and the queen.

Lobomons breathing was steadily growing harder, the wound in his leg had to be painful but he never let it show and he never even slowed in stride. Fluorescent green blood spattered every branch, and I stared up at him in concern. Not even Lobomon could keep this hellish pace forever.

 _Damn it. We need help._

The queen shrieked and it sounded close. Really, really close. I peeked behind us and gasped, "Oh- shit!"

Lobomon lunged forward at the same time the Xenomorph did the same. We cleared the woods and landed on a muddy road. Sliding from the momentum of Lobomons powerful leap, he spun, and the queen spilled out of the woods after us.

The queen stumbled, the chain pulled tight as it caught on some branches. I looked up at Lobomon, pressing my hands into his heaving chest. We were out in the open, and he couldn't fight while holding me. I had no idea what condition his leg was in, but it worried me.

My eyes darted around the darkened road, searching for something- anything that might help. A tiny glimmer of light caught my eye. "The truck!" My gaze snapped up, "Lobomon the truck-"

The queen freed herself.

Lobomon set me on my feet. "Lo-" I grabbed his forearm, hesitated then saw the gaping wound in his thigh. The Xenomorph's barbed tail had stabbed through the muscle front to back. The edges ragged from tearing himself free. He shouldn't have been able to stand much less run on that leg. "-Lobomon give me a weapon!" I'd lost my blade, and I was terrified but damn it I had his back.

He pushed me away with a grunt, and I dug my blunt nails into his arm. The queen shrieked, her maw open wide as she came for us. Lobomon growled and shoved me hard, sending me to the ground.

"Lo-"

Lobomon snarled, and the Xenomorph screamed as the two alien titans collided. The queen was fast. Her tail nothing but a blur of movement as she struck again and again. Lobomon dodged every blow, but only just barely. If he didn't get the upper hand, eventually the constant strain on his leg would slow him down, and the queen only needed to be a hair faster to kill him.

I rolled onto my hands and knees, biting my lip to keep from yelping as a wave of sharp pinpricks of pain raced up and down my arm. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but it shook so badly I was afraid I might collapse.

Lobomon roared, and I looked back in time to watch him get thrown by the queen's powerful tail.

 _Lo!_

He twisted, landed on his feet and immediately dodged another blow.

My eyes went back to the truck, fixing on the beam of light given off by the flashlight I'd lost earlier. Lobomon wanted me to run. He probably thought I'd just get in the way. He was right. I was no match for a Xenomorph, especially not a queen. But I'm stubborn, and I've never accepted limitations willingly. I dropped out of high school, and I've been raising my baby brother on a shoestring budget, and I've survived more alien attacks in the last week than New York has in both the Marvel and DC movies. Limitations are meant to be given the finger and broken.

I staggered to my feet, glanced back at Lobomon once more then headed for the truck. Mud squelched between my toes, and dirty water splashed my calves as I ran. My legs shook, and I wobbled like a running pregnant woman getting ready to pop, but the flashlight was a beacon in the dark. A tiny glimmer of hope that I grabbed onto like a lifeline.

I slid to a stop, falling in a muddy puddle beside the truck. I snatched up the flashlight and used the big driver side tire to help get me back up. The battle between the two aliens was growing in volume, and I flinched at every smack of flesh and the roars or hisses that followed.

I jerked the door open and breathed a sigh of relief that I'd left the keys in the ignition, then slammed it shut behind me. The beat of my heart filled my ears in the quiet of the cabin, and I grabbed the wheel trying to calm the jitters. I caught sight of my face in the rearview mirror and stilled. Mud coated my skin and matted my hair, giving me a very _Swamp Thing_ look. Blood both fresh and dry, fluorescent green and red streaked through the mud. My eyes were wide, and the pupils had completely swallowed the irises. I looked shellshocked.

I blinked, and my eyes focused on the aliens in the rearview. My hands shook, and I grabbed the wheel in a death grip. I didn't give myself time to rationalize or think about what I was doing.

"Damn it!" The engine turned over on the first try with a throaty growl. I rolled down the window, threw the truck in reverse and gunned it. "I am not Mad Max!"

The tires spun for a second, kicked up mud and finally found purchase. My heart pounded painfully against my ribcage as I did my best to drive the big Bronco backward and not fall into the ditches on either side of the road.

"Lobomon!" I shouted over the guttural roar of the engine.

Both aliens noticed the crazy woman swerving towards them. The queen shrieked and lowered her head and charged at me. The Bronco wasn't a lite weight, but I wasn't sure how it was going to fare against an enraged Xenomorph Queen. I was doing about thirty-five and climbing. A vivid image of _Jurassic Park_ came to mind as the T-Rex flipped over the Jeep and crushed the vehicle under one massive clawed foot. I foresaw this as my ending and a scream built in my throat as the queen opened her jaws and shrieked.

Lobomon roared, the hunter took advantage of the distraction, leaped in the air, spun and drove his spear straight through the sloping skull of the Xenomorph. She reared back with a shrill cry and pinwheeled, falling as her whole body whipped wildly. I hit the brakes, the truck slid sidewise and barely missed the queen's lashing tail.

I jumped as Lobomon landed in the bed of the Bronco, the truck groaned and bounced under his sudden weight. Lobomons head whipped in my direction with a furious, snarly bark.

"Your welcome!" I snarled back.

The Xenomorph righted herself and got back up, her clawed hands swiped desperately at the weapon lodged in her head. One end of the spear broke off and her yellow caustic blood spurt from the wound. She turned to us, lips quivering up over her teeth as she hissed.

"Fuck-" I jerked the gearshift into drive. "-don't you ever die!"

She shrieked.

"Lobomon," my eyes met his briefly before I turned my attention to the road. "You shoot! I'll drive!" The tires spun, splashing the queen in the face with mud. "And this isn't running! It's improvising!"

Lobomon growled, but I think it was because he had to grab hold of the tailgate for dear life or risk getting thrown out. I leaned on the gas, and we lurched forward. The road was slick, and the back end slid this way and that. Lobomon grunted and trilled in annoyance but otherwise handled the bumpy ride with a center of gravity that defied the laws of physics.

My eyes flicked passed Lobomon and widened at the sight of the queen gaining on us. And before I could shout "Shoot the bitch!" Lobomon fired his shoulder canon. The queen shrieked, the blast slowed her progress, but she didn't go down. I wondered why he wasn't just hitting her with a full-scale assault then realized where we were. We lived in a rural area. Our closest neighbors were miles apart, but if he shot the place to kingdom come, then someone was bound to notice. We don't get much traffic out here either, which was damn lucky. The last thing we needed was a passing motorist to call 911 and report that McAlister's place had gone up in flames or that there was a thirty-foot alien chasing a truck down the main road with another alien in the back.

"Think, Nina. Think!" I whispered harshly. We had to get off the main stretch of road. True, no one was around now but by daybreak McAlister's place would be swarming with humans, and I had no doubt the Weyland goons would be the first. Our only option was to take the queen deep into the swamp. The swamp has a way of destroying evidence, and bodies have a tendency to disappear. I knew the twins had a way to dispose of the queen, but I wanted to make sure no one, especially Mr. Stevens couldn't find her.

"Lobomon!" I shouted. He didn't turn to look at me, his focus solely for the Xenomorph trailing us but the tilt of his head let me know he was listening. "We're gonna take her into the swamp."

I took us off the main road and onto the back ones. No one, other than the locals living in these parts used them or knew how to traverse them. The trees closed in around us, and so did the darkness. I didn't dare switch on the brights, not until we were so far in no one would be able to see them.

My eyes kept flicking between Lobomon and the road. He'd grown strangely quiet, only grunting when we hit a pothole or the truck slid hard. He fired at the queen, the blast of blue energy lighting up the area for a second. Long enough for my eyes to notice his leg again. I could tell it was bad. Suddenly taking us deep into the swamp with the Xenomorph Queen behind us didn't seem like such a good idea.

The earth was becoming softer under the tires, and it was getting harder to steer.

Lobomon roared, my eyes snapped to the rearview as he fired at the queen. She shrieked, and I barely registered the blur of her tail before it smashed into the side of the truck.

"Fuck!"

We fishtailed, and I slammed on the brakes. Lobomon made a dull strangled roar from somewhere behind me. The truck came to a jerky stop, and I sat frozen in the seat, my hands white-knuckling the wheel as I breathed erratically through gritted teeth.

Movement in front of the headlights forced my eyes to focus, but it was the last thing I wanted to see. The queen opened her maw, teeth glittering in the light, and I screamed as she shrieked. Desperately I tried to throw open the door, but it smacked against a tree, blocking my escape. I scrambled over to the passenger side, but the queen was already there. The passenger window shattered, and I screamed again. She reached one spindly hand inside and grabbed for me. I hurled myself onto the floor, backing myself away as far as I could. Her bony, gnarled fingers tipped with razor-fine black talons caught the skin of my left ankle and cut me deep when she attempted to grab me.

"Get away from me you bitch!" I choked.

She shrieked and came for me again. I closed my eyes tight, felt her claws whisper over my feet, but suddenly the truck jerked, and I heard an enraged roar, accompanied by an equally enraged and familiar snarly bark. My eyes popped open. The queen's body was lowered defensively, her grotesque face within inches of the window. She hissed, then shrieked as something unseen struck her in the head. Her crown hit the truck, making it rock, then she scrambled away. I started to get up and peeked over the dash. The queen stood back up on her hind legs, her head sharply turning in every direction.

The passenger door was ripped from its hinges, and I yelped. Something reached in and grabbed me. I kicked out, fighting with the last vestiges of strength that I had. "No! Get away!"

"Zabin!"

I froze, my chest heaving as I stared into Lobomon's bemused orbs.

"Lo!" I threw myself at him, grabbed hold of his chest and adhered to him like an obnoxious barnacle. He made a soft noise of surprise then huffed in annoyance. The sound made me weirdly happy. Tucking an arm under my legs and wrapping the other behind me, he pulled me from the truck.

The sound of a battle brought my gaze up, and I twisted in his hold. The queen's body jerked, she hissed, striking blindly with her tail. I was confused. There was nothing there. Or was there?

"Pakkun's out there isn't he?"

"Sei-i," Lo confirmed. So I had heard both them moments ago when I almost became a Xeno snack.

My eyes narrowed, it was hard to tell, but I swear the shadows of the swamp were alive.

 _Stealth field. I should really look into getting one of those._

Lo's body tensed, and I glanced up at his face. The hunter itched to join the fight.

"Lo?"

He met my eyes and cocked his head at my look of concern.

"Kill her quick, then fix your damn leg."

He blinked in surprise.

I scowled, "Now put me down dummy! This ain't a Disney movie, and I ain't no damsel in distress!" _Or at least not anymore._ I added silently. "And by the way you are so gonna pay for that damn door!"

Lobomons chest vibrated with laughter catching me off guard.

He set me down then shocked me by curling his fingers behind my head so that I couldn't back away when he touched his forehead to mine. Our eyes locked and he rumbled, "Yeyinde." Then he was gone.

I stared stupidly for a moment at the spot where he'd been standing and fought the ridiculous smile attempting to sneak up on me. With a soft snort, I turned to watch the brothers fight the queen. No longer hindered by me or worried about other humans happening upon them the brothers fought like the predators they are and bested the queen in few well-coordinated moves.

Pakkun decloaked, keeping her busy and her attention off his injured brother. Lobomon being the stronger of the two grabbed the chain, yanked her head back exposing her neck and Pakkun delivered the fatal blow with his bladed weapon and sliced open her throat.

 _Oh, yeah I could've down that... not!_

It was finally over, and I fell back against the ruined Bronco with a pained groan and slid down to the ground. I closed my eyes and just breathed. Exhaustion tugged at me, my lids grew heavy and more than anything in the world I wanted to pass the fuck out, but it wasn't really over yet. Not by a long shot.

I must've been over stimulated from the knockout drag out fight because I sensed Pakkun a second before he crouched beside me. My eyes didn't want to open, but my face pinched when the pads of his fingers found the bite wound.

"Don't you know you're supposed to buy a girl a drink first before you start poking her?" My eyes cracked open and settled on his helmet covered face.

He huffed. Either he didn't get the joke or he didn't find it funny.

The black slits in his helmet faded, revealing narrowed amber orbs. He continued to probe, and I continued to noisily complained. Lobomon appeared a moment later and sat himself down beside me, pulling a small metal kit from his shoulder rig. My eyes fell on the gaping wound in his leg and the freakishly bright dayglo green blood coating him.

 _And here I thought I looked like Satan's chew toy._

He opened the kit, and I eyeballed the tools within warily. I'm pretty sure they used those same instruments in _Fire in the Sky_. I had nightmares for weeks after that one.

 _Why do I get the sense that I'm not gonna like this..._

* * *

 **A/N:** **OMG I didn't think I was gonna finish in time! I'm so nervous and excited to find out what you guys thought of the update. I had so many ideas whirling in my head for this chapter that I tried probably three and finally came out with the finished chapter almost at the last minute. Sorry for mistakes! I only got a chance to edit once before I posted. As you guys know I will always try to update on Thursdays. That being said next week is gonna be busy because of the holiday. I will try to update, but I can't promise I'll be able too. Anyway, I really hope you guys enjoyed it because it was crazy exciting to write! Thanx for all those favs, follows, and reviews! Yautja definitions at the bottom.**

 **XxShadowfangxX: I thought Lo and Nina needed some more interaction time and I'm glad you liked it! ;)**

 **Becka3490: Lol, I'm so happy you're enjoying it! BTW your cat pic is cute! Thanks, Becka XD**

 **KittyKatt25: Thanx for your continued support Kitty! :)**

 **Rasha007: Oh I agree. Stroke a guys ego and he turns from demon to an angel in a nanosecond. She didn't bleed to death because the Xeno wanted her alive.. sorry if I didn't clarify that well enough in the last chapter. But anyway thanx for the love 007!**

 **Tenjp: Your review made me smile! I'm pleased that you are so vested in my story. What did you think about the rescue? Was it a good surprise? Lol, afraid there's no moonshine leftover, but Nina probably could use a stiff drink... or three.**

 **crocfarmer: Yeah I've read 'no' written three or four different ways. I'm so happy you and your friends enjoyed it, Felix! I hope the update was worth the wait. Anyway thanx for the love!**

 **Shenandoah76209: Lol yeah Pakkun's the calculative one and Lo's the meat head XD**

 **angel897: XD I'm excited that you found it thrilling. Hope the update did the same!**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmperor: A love triangle isn't what I was going for but you never know. It would definitely be dangerous but that would also add excitement. It's all up in the air right now though so we'll see. Shit definitely got real in this chapter and it just keeps coming. Poor Nina.**

 **miu sakura 73: Ah, thank you Sakura XD**

 **hellfire45: Lol, you caught that did you? (the xeno being left behind) I haven't decided what course of action to take yet. And I promise I will write more chapters! ;)**

 **KTCameleon: (smiles happily) It makes me so happy how much you enjoy reading this story. Lol, I think Lo liked his scars being noticed too. Did you like Nina saving Lo? I rewrote it half a dozen times o_0**

 **Black Cross0: Nina's definitely got a set of brass ones, lol. I'm glad you enjoyed Lo and Nina's interaction. ;)**

 **sousie: Lol, I had to make Lo the damsel in distress at least once XD**

 **Guest reviews: Guest 1~ I will write more ;) Guest 2~ Lol, sorry about the cliffy. Hope it was worth the wait! Guest 3~ Definitely poor Nina. I hope you enjoyed the rescue scene as well as the update!**

 **CieloDistante: Your review had me smiling from ear to ear! You say English isn't your forte but I would've never guessed. ;) I'm so happy you are enjoying the story! I know I haven't revealed Lobomon and Pakkun's true names yet but I will soon ;D**

 **kimah36: Lo is definitely a lovable asshole. I hope you enjoyed the update, especially the rescue scene! Thanx, kimah :)**

 **Sleepyhallow01: You're awesome too! Hmm do they both want her?.. We'll see ;D**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Did you like what happened next? I hope you did! Thanks, Bre XD**

 **crystalga: Were you surprised by the rescue? Was it exciting?! Oh, I hope you enjoyed it! Thanx, girl!**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Thanx for the love and support ;) Hope you got a kick out of the update.**

 **09sasha: (smiles happily) I'm happy you like it and that I can surprise you. Thanx for the love!**

 **Tenfangirl: Well I'm bloody glad you like it! Lol. Hope it was worth the wait. ;)**

 **Kay: LMAO, I literally laughed for three minutes straight reading your review. *Hello, 911 operator how may I assist you?* ''An evil, evil woman's story is killing me!" *... what?* "Oh, my heart!" *...um* Lol! Sorry, I just thought that was so funny. A menage a trois Yautja style? Hmmmm... (smiles evilly) we'll see ;) Chi'ytei!**

 **Haylz93: Ah, thanx for the compliment! Glad you found it awesome and I hope you enjoyed the update just as much! XD**

 **1WhoLoves2ReadAlot: Thanx for the love! I'm happy you enjoyed it! ;)**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Lol, I'm starting to like the jerk too. Ha! The Digimon name makes me snicker all the time. Ah! No! Don't send them after me! Me puny mortal! (Hides behind Lo and Pakkun) Lol XD (P.S. I've never actually seen Angel Beats. TK was just a character I came up with on my own.)**

 **MonaTheGreat: hahaha keep looking forward to the future romance ;) (wipes sweat from brow) Let me tell you it is so hard to keep the Yautja close to character while being out of character. I wanted them to stay true to their nature but at the same time bond with a human which is outside the norm. I often have to rewrite and restructure when I accidentally make them to human. Thanx for the love! Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **DarkCritter94: Ah, thanx for the compliment! So happy you are enjoying it! FYI I do try and update every Thursday ;)**

* * *

 **Hulij-bpe: Reckless**

 **Pauk: Fuck**

 **Sei-i: Yes**

 **Zabin: Insect**

 **Ooman: Human**

 **Yeyinde: Brave one**


	13. Chapter 13

**Fifty Shades of What The Fuck**

In my periphery, the darkened woods passed by in a blurry haze. My eyes were set on the road ahead, barely even registering the soft pitter-patter of rain on the windshield. I was running on autopilot. Godzilla could've stepped out in front the headlights, and I wouldn't have noticed.

The Bronco hobbled along, beaten and broken about as bad as I was. The humid night pressed in around me, and rain dampened the passenger side seat. Lobomon had ripped off the door. The bastard. But considering why he'd done it I grudgingly had to forgive him. Of course, that didn't mean I couldn't give him shit about it.

I hit a pothole and gritted my teeth as the jarring motion caused me to stiffen, and the burning pain in my shoulder flashed white hot. So intense, a cold sweat broke out along my spine and bile scorched the back of my throat. I shivered and leaned heavily on the steering wheel with a groan. Everything hurt. Hell even my hair hurt.

I glanced at my ruined shoulder, then away. My hands clutched the wheel, recalling the worst of it. A Xenomorph had bitten me, dragged me into the woods with its teeth and almost ripped me apart in the process. I thought nothing could compare after surviving that, but I was so wrong. So fucking wrong!

 _My head thunked against the tire, my body sagging from exhaustion. Pakkun extracted a kit from his shoulder rig, the same as his brothers and opened it. I tried to pay attention, but my eyelids were sandbags. Raw and ragged, stretched too thin, I couldn't do more than mumble protests at him. Liquid cold filled the puncture wounds, and my face pinched in discomfort as it steadily grew hotter._

 _The brothers were speaking to one another in low, angry tones. I didn't understand, but it was Lobomon's sudden fierce bark "M-di!" that finally broke through the haze. My eyes slit open and my head lulled in his direction. He was tense, his body leaning forward and almost pressing into me. I blinked, slowly focusing on his mismatched orbs. His eyes weren't on me, though. And he looked pissed._

 _A palm pressed into the center of my chest, fingers spread wide and digging in. My eyes rolled up, found Pakkun's, registered the hardening of his amber orbs a second before I noticed his other hand. My brows furrowed, I vaguely remember thinking the stuff coating his fingers looked like gritty, glow in the dark blue silly putty then he spread it on my shoulder and I screamed. A piercing sound that I'm sure made every dog in Louisiana cringe and flatten their ears._

The sensory memory caused me to spasm, and I gripped the wheel so hard my knuckles ached. Blessedly, I'd lost consciousness for a few minutes and when I'd come to the brothers were snarling at one another. I could still feel the fierce vibrations of Lobomon's angry growl as he held me and Pakkun's amber orbs were glittering with the barely contained promise of violence. It's unclear to me why they'd gotten so hostile with one another but I think whatever Pakkun had done to close the wound in my shoulder angered Lobomon.

The rain began to tap, tap, tap the windshield harder forcing me to pay better attention. I'd left the brothers to do clean up, warning them that by daybreak, there'd be more humans than you can shake a stick at. In fact, I planned on calling it in myself. I was McAlister's closest neighbor. I may not have noticed a fire in the middle of the night, but I probably would've been able to hear the explosion from my property. Maybe. Better to cross my T's and dot my I's. Besides, I had to explain away some of my injuries and what better way to do that then by making it look as though I went to help the dumbass who'd built a distillery in his barn. Damn it, did all my neighbors have to be so redneck? Then again, the unfortunate incident destroyed any evidence of the nest left behind. Hopefully. All the more reason to go back to McAlister's place and check it out.

I slumped in the seat with a moan. I was officially over the whole Buffy the Alien Slayer bit. At least she'd had superior strength and speed, plus kickass boots. I, on the other hand, had none of the above. Without Pakkun and Lobomon, the South might've been wiped out in a matter of days. Granted it was Frick and Frack's fault in the first place, but at least they'd stuck around to clean up the mess. And maybe life could return to normal. But after surviving an M Night Shyamalan, worthy edition of The Weird Kind, I wasn't sure the term _normal_ had a place in our lives anymore.

I released a breath of relief when I finally turned onto Miss De Ville's drive. Danny was safe, I'd reassured myself of this over and over, yet I'd driven past our place and came straight here. Until I set eyes on him, the worry would continue to eat at me.

The house lights were off, but the bright porch light cast a sickly yellow hue over everything it touched. I parked the truck and glanced at my dirt and blood streaked face in the mirror. I scrubbed at my skin, using the bloody napkins I'd left in the cup holder earlier. It didn't help much, but I managed to get most of the phosphorus green off my skin. Of course, there was no helping the rest of me. But until this moment, aided by the porch light, I hadn't realized just how exposed I was. I pinched the bridge of my nose, fighting the blush of mortification at the sight of my freaking nipples peeking out of the remnants of the tank. I've never been body shy, but I respected myself enough to feel a healthy dose of embarrassment for flashing both of the brothers. It may have been unintentional, but that didn't negate it.

 _Oh, stop it, Nina! Between running and not dying, they probably didn't even notice._

I gave the woman in the mirror a firm nod of agreement and opened the door, hissing as my feet made contact with the wet ground. It wasn't intolerable, the soles of our feet are thick skinned, and mine were calloused from years of being a barefoot heathen as my daddy would say. Still, it hurt enough that my face was scrunched up in a perpetual wince.

On the porch, I licked my fingertips and gave the dirty bulb above the door a sharp twist. I really didn't want to flash anyone else tonight. With a buzzy complaint, the light winked out. My fingertips stung, but I barely felt it. I rang the bell, and I could hear it echo inside the quiet house.

Nothing happened. I sucked my lower lip between my teeth and worried it. I quelled the urge to lean on the doorbell, rationalizing that because of the hour anyone would have trouble getting out of bed. The dash clock in Bronco said it was after three in the morning so it was understandable- okay, screw understandable! I stabbed the bell. Maybe if I pressed, real hard it would ring louder.

"Miss De Ville," I called, peeking into the darkened window. I was wound pretty tight, and I knew my nerves were getting the best of me, but I couldn't help it. "Tilly?!" I banged on the window. My heartbeat picked up, "Danny?!"

A light flicked on from somewhere inside, and it took every ounce of control I had to stop the elbow I'd thrown at the window. I flailed awkwardly for a second, then righted just as the door cracked open and a twelve gauge peeked out.

I froze, "Tilly it's me, Nina." Even though I was a nervous wreck, I managed to steady my voice and speak calmly. If someone's aiming a gun at you, yelling and freaking out will only get you shot faster. Especially if the person on the other end of the barrel just got woken up at an unholy hour by a crazy woman banging on her windows.

"Nina?" The barrel lowered and the door opened wider. Light spilled out and cut across my bare feet. Miss De Ville, her hair in curlers and wearing a god awful floral print housecoat squinted up at me. "Nina, what's going on? What's wrong- why are you dressed like a filthy street walker?"

 _Well, that's not degrading at all._

I sighed, tried to run a hand through my hair, but my fingers got caught in the dried mud. Miss De Ville might be able to see what I'm wearing, but it didn't look like she'd noticed the blood. Yet.

"It's a long story," I breathed, taking a tiny step back to get out of the wash of light. "Can you get Danny for me? I'm ready to call it a night." The night wasn't over obviously, but I didn't have the time or energy for this right now. Miss De Ville genuinely cared for Danny and I, and if she noticed the blood she'd never let us leave.

She frowned, "Whatcha talkin' about, Nina dear? Danny was picked up hours ago."

My heart stopped, and the world narrowed to the size of a pinhole. Everything that had happened to me tonight, none of it mattered, the fear was gone, and in its place, there was only outrage.

"What?!" The violent outburst caused the tiny woman to noticeable flinch.

Miss De Ville stared up at me in confusion. She genuinely didn't seem to understand why I was angry which left me bewildered. Miss De Ville loved Danny. She would never hand him over to just anyone, but other than Trey, I couldn't think of anyone else Miss De Ville knew I trusted enough to... my thoughts suddenly crashed together. No _way_.

"Miss De Ville," my voice had quieted, but the anger simmered just beneath it, " _who_ picked up Danny?"

Her eyes narrowed, the confusion evident in her voice. "Your boyfriend, dear."

 _Boyfriend?_

"Boyfriend?" I repeated, saying the word experimentally.

Her face scrunched in thought, then grew concerned. "Was I not supposed too? Danny assured me that- oh, what was his name? It sounded foreign. Pak- something or other was your boyfriend?"

I closed my eyes in relief. Pakkun had taken Danny. The anger washed out of me, leaving me a little weak in the knees. "No. No. It's fine. I just didn't realize he was picking Danny up for me."

 _Or why,_ I added silently.

Miss De Ville relaxed. For a moment she must've thought she handed Danny over to the wrong person. A scowl deepened the lines of her weathered face. She crossed her bony arms over her chest, and inwardly I groaned at the oncoming lecture.

"Nina, how could you not know that? Don't you two communicate?"

 _Does growling at one another count?_

"No, he did," I lied. "I just got so busy I forgot."

Her scowl deepened, "That's unlike you, Nina. Is everything okay at home?"

 _No!_ I inwardly wailed. _I'm_ _up to my tits in homicidal aliens! And a Xenomorph Queen wanted to make my chest cavity a private nursery!_

On the outside, I gave Miss De Ville a tired smile, "Yes Ma'am." A thought occurred to me and my brow creased in confusion. "Did you actually talk to Pa- er my boyfriend?" Why did Danny give her that name? Seriously, we were gonna have to talk about this. Right after I ripped Pakkun a new asshole for taking Danny without telling me.

She shook her head, and she got one of those 'mother knows best' looks in her eye. "Nina dear, he's no good for you."

 _Wait- what?_

"It's none of my business I know, but if a man is that painfully shy, then he won't make a good husband or father."

I opened my mouth, then closed it. Tried again, and failed again. Where to begin?

 _Father? Husband? Painfully shy? What?!_

Miss De Ville must've sensed my confusion, and she shook her head in disapproval. "He wouldn't come to the door, Nina. He didn't even have the courtesy to introduce himself-"

"Wait. Did you see him?"

She scowled, "No. But Danny was persistent. Agitated even. I wasn't going to let him go, but..." She went quiet, and even in the sickly lighting, I saw apprehension flash briefly through her eyes. I could image what happened after she told Danny no. Miss De Ville may not have seen Pakkun, but I was betting the animal side of her brain picked up on the predator nearby. "I'm sorry dear," she shook herself and smiled, but it was stilted. "It's not my business. I let Danny go but only after he promised to call me once he got home."

"And did he?"

She nodded.

"Thank you," I said sincerely. I wasn't sure if Pakkun would've hurt her, but if she'd been holding that twelve gauge, then he might've. And that's probably why Danny became agitated. I stepped off the porch and headed for the truck. I'd wasted too much time here already.

"Take care of yourself, Nina," Miss De Ville called after me. "And that boy."

I waved without looking back, jumped in the Bronco and sped off. A niggling thought poked at the back of my mind. One I should've considered long before my interest in Pakkun had taken root. I'd said I wasn't _sure_ if Pakkun would've hurt her but that was a lie. If he thought Miss De Ville, a woman pushing ninety and weighed eighty pounds soaking wet, would try and keep him from Danny then no, he wouldn't have hurt her. But I do think he might've killed her.

 _Stop it, Nina! Yeah, they're predators but they aren't mindless killers. Don't be so pessimistic! Jeez, you almost die a few times and you become_ Fear _from_ Inside Out _._

But was I being pessimistic?

A ruthless form of truth spread through my veins like an icy neurotoxin, paralyzing my insides. Pakkun and Lobomon were predators. Beings from a different planet with a whole new set of rules and cultural differences. The behavior humans found acceptable may not be for them and vice versa. Was a relationship between our two astronomically different species even possible?

 _God, you're a moron, Nina._

A humorless chuckle escaped me. Relationship? There I go again, assuming they mirrored humans. For all, I know they came together and mated in seasons, without any interest in forging lasting bonds. Maybe they were more like lions, with one male in the pride and the rest female. Hell, maybe they're like praying mantis waiting for me to bite their heads off once they've rocked my world. Who knows? So Pakkun's 'interest' in me may not go beyond fucking me. Damn. It was an ugly truth but a plausible one.

"Stop it," I hissed, biting the inside of my cheek. I wasn't going to let this upset me. Not right now. There was way too many other things to be upset about.

...

The Bronco rattled to a stop in front of the house, and I winced in sympathy. I patted her dash affectionately. We'd both been through the ringer tonight at the mercy of a Xenomorph Queen. We both deserved a break, have our parts fixed, and to shut off for awhile.

I blew out a breath. It wasn't over. I climbed out of the truck, wincing every step of the way to the door. The living room lights were on, and the knot in my stomach loosened just a bit. I saw a shadow pass in front of the window a second before the outside lights flipped on and blinded me.

The door creaked open. "Nina?"

Hearing my brother's voice brought a rush of relief so profound it hit my system like an anesthetic. I no longer felt the pain in my feet and sprinted up the porch steps and to the door. Danny's head poked out further. He saw me and opened the door wider. His face pinched in the most adorable 'What the fuck?' expression.

"Nina wha-"

I grabbed him, picked him up off the floor, held him to me, and carried him into the living room. The pain in my arm flared hot, but I didn't care. I hugged my baby brother and tried not to think about how close I'd come to never seeing him again.

"Nina!" He whined, pushing against me. "Lemme go! Weird sister-" My breath caught as his small fingers dug into my shoulder and the kid froze. "- Nina?" His voice quieted, "Nina what happened?"

My legs buckled, holding him was just too much, and my knees sank into the mattress. I set him down, quickly wiping the tears away in the hopes he hadn't seen them. Wishful thinking.

Danny took a step back, his emerald orbs widening as he got a good look at me. He bit his lip, and I could see the concern and fear flit through his irises like ghosts. I didn't want him to be scared.

My smile was as stiff as my body, but I managed a small laugh and ruffled his hair. "Ha! And you said I couldn't be a superhero without powers!" I stood. Started to fall but Danny aided me with the use of his shoulder. "You should've seen it kiddo. I took down a Xenomorph Queen!"

He looked up at me. The fear was still there, but it was losing under the weight of his growing curiosity. His eyes narrowed skeptically, "You? How big was it?"

"As big as the house," I grunted. Danny helped me hobble into the kitchen, where I leaned heavily on the sink. He stepped back, face scrunched in doubt, "Were Pakkun and Lobomon there?"

"Yes," I sighed, already feeling the spotlight wavering. I just couldn't win against those two.

Danny's face lit up, "As big as a house?!"

I chuckled, but it hurt. "Yes."

"Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh!" His words slammed together. "Who took it down?! Lobomon or Pakkun?!"

I pouted, "What? You don't think I could've?"

He shook his head, brows land sliding together.

"Why not?" I whined. Then asked, "Where's my cell by the way?"

"One word," he said, face splitting into a shit-eating grin as he handed the phone he'd fished from his pocket, "Alfonso."

I shivered, the hair along my arms springing to attention. "That's not fair! Who the heck names a hissing cockroach, Alfonso?!"

He giggled, "You jumped on the table and tried to shoot it with the shotgun."

"It was freaking huge!"

He rolled his eyes and smiled like I'd just made his case.

"Whatever," I griped. "Listen I've got to call in an accident-"

His brow puckered in suspicion.

"- I've got to Danny. McAlister's place burned down and I was there." I slid the lock screen aside. "I've got to cover all our asses."

After giving an Academy Award winning act for the dispatcher, I rinsed some of the mud from my hair in the sink, made sure all traces of phosphorus green blood was wiped away then started to change clothes. Giving Danny a quick run down of what happened and why I had to go back.

"Won't it look strange if your clothes are clean?"

I glanced over my shoulder at Danny, then at the scrap of what used to be a tank in my hands. Damn. He was right. I was really out of it. But I didn't want to run around as the _Betty Boop_ apocalyptic poster child anymore. I compromised and awkwardly tugged on a running bra. It hurt. And a thin sheen of sweat covered my face by the time I got the bra and the shredded remains of the tank back on.

"Nina?" Danny's voice was laced with worry.

"I'm fine," I lied.

His pinched face conveyed his uncertainty.

"Come on," I said, using his shoulder as a crutch. "Get your shoes on. We should still be able to beat the emergency vehicles there."

The drive to McAlister's was anything but quiet. Danny fussed at me like a freaking mother hen every time we hit a pothole, and I couldn't control the grunts of pain. Was I this annoying when I mothered him?

"What happened to the door?" Danny whined, annoyed that he had to sit in the tiny seat in the middle.

"Lobomon's what happened," I sighed in irritation, but felt a flush of warmth as I recalled him pulling me from the car. Damn it. Lobomon's an asshole. So why did the thought of him bring the same bizarre stupidly content smile to my face as Pakkun? I stuffed the smile and gave myself a mental shake.

 _Predators, Neens, they're both predators. Stop thinking like they're human. This is not a_ Nicholas Sparks _novel..._ Tank Girl _maybe..._

"Danny?" I said abruptly. "Why did Pakkun bring you home?"

He blinked up at me, "Because he didn't know where I was."

I frowned. It's true I hadn't told Pakkun that Danny would be with a babysitter but I didn't think he'd go looking for him. Although now that I was thinking about it, it did seem rather boneheaded on my part. Pakkun's super protective of Danny and I should've known better.

Danny shifted uncomfortably and mumbled, "And because there was a bug alien nearby."

"What?!"

"It's okay," he rushed. "Pakkun killed it but didn't want to leave me there."

"Miss De Ville said you got agitated." My grip tightened. "Why?"

"Because she wouldn't let me leave! She had me sorting buttons from change jars!"

My brows furrowed, "Wait you got agitated because she had you doing work?"

He pouted, "There were gazillions of buttons, Nina." His eyes widened in mock horror, "Gazillions!"

 _Oh, lord._ I rolled my eyes. "And Pakkun?"

"She didn't see him if that's what you're worried about."

"Danny, do you think," I licked my lips, "Pakkun would've hurt Miss De Ville?"

He stared up at me like I'd grown a second head. "Nah." He looked away. "I told you, Neens, Pakkuns like _Thor_."

I snorted, "If he's Thor than who is Lobomon? Loki?"

"Nah, more like the Juggernaut crossed with an angrier Hulk," he laughed.

I smirked. Had a mental image of a Juggernaut/Hulk love child and laughed too.

The drive was short, and I parked the Bronco off the road and well out of sight. I didn't want anyone to see the deep scarring on the driver side or the missing passenger side door.

Holding the flashlight, Danny helped me up the long drive. The kid never complained once about my weight, not even a joke. Highly unusual for Danny, and it worried me. My baby brother's tough. Tougher than me, but I was concerned all of this was asking too much of a kid.

The barn was still burning, but only just barely. The worst of it was over and luckily hadn't spread except to a few nearby trees. The rain had kept the whole fiasco well contained, and had even washed away any bright splotches of alien blood.

"Nina?"

I glanced down at Danny, but the boy's gaze was fixed on the barn.

"Is McAlister dead?" He asked quietly.

I hesitated, and he looked up at me. My eyes flicked to the charred skeletal remains of the barn. "Yes," I murmured. He squeezed me tighter, and I brushed my hand through his hair. "Danny," I knelt down with a wince, "we can go. I'll figure out what to tell the Sheriff lat-"

He got that stubborn look in his eyes and shook his head. "We protect the family."

My face softened, chest warming with pride. Danny barely knew our daddy, but he was gonna be the spitting image of him. "Alright," I agreed and stood back up. "Stay away from the barn. I want you to keep an eye out for anyone coming to investigate."

He nodded.

I walked away and went in search of my knife and to make sure nothing survived...

...

The fire department showed up first, and Danny and I, were escorted off the property. I'd found no evidence of the eggs, the alien babies, or the queen's egg sack. They'd burned like dried hair and left nothing behind. I did find partial remains of McAlister but only a scorched broken jaw bone. I felt a pang of sorrow for McAlister. The guy had been a mean asshole, but he didn't deserve to die. However, it was the loss of Pakkun's gift that ate at me the most. That blade had saved my life. It meant something to me and losing it hurt more than the physical wounds.

I sat on the back of an ambulance, barely aware of the cacophony of sirens and voices bustling around us. Danny leaned heavily against me, attempting to fight off sleep. Trey and Sheriff Watkins stood behind the EMT who was kneeling in front of me and examining my feet.

"You need to go to the hospital," the EMT said for the umpteenth time. She clicked off her flashlight and brushed away the strands of her long blond hair that had escaped the high ponytail before meeting my eyes. "I can only do so much here. The burns aren't bad, but you shouldn't be walking. Someone needs to examine your shoulder, that wound looks weeks old, but your constant flinching leads me to believe it's giving you trouble."

Trey's lips were pressed thin, his eyes ping-ponging between my face and my shoulder. He'd been with me hours earlier. He knew the wound in my shoulder wasn't weeks old. I gave him a pleading look, and his teeth clenched so tight the muscle in his jaw bulged out. He exhaled noisily through his nose and speared me with a hardened glare that telegraphed just how angry he was. He'd keep quiet about my shoulder but he sure as shit wasn't gonna let it go.

"No," I answered the EMT tiredly. "Just do what you can here." I couldn't afford a trip to the hospital. Hell, sitting in the back of this vehicle alone might cost me an arm and a leg.

She sighed, and her blue eyes darted up at the Sheriff. "Care to chime in anytime?"

Sheriff Watkins wasn't an imposing man, but he had what my daddy referred to as the thousand yard stare. His piercing brown eyes were perceptive, and I've seen some of the most belligerent, local meatheads shake under the scrutiny of that stare.

"Nina," His voice wasn't deep like Trey's, but it was compelling. You couldn't ignore Sheriff Watkins when he spoke. I met his eyes, and they narrowed ever-so-slightly. "Do you need to go to the hospital?"

The EMT started to protest, but a quick glance from Watkins shut her up. The Sheriff knew I was hard up for money, but he wasn't asking for my benefit. If I went to the hospital, it meant he couldn't question me now.

I shrugged, then winced. "I'll live."

Trey shook his head, "She needs to go to the hospital."

The Sheriff didn't look at his Deputy, he uncrossed his arms and came to lean against the truck. "Tell me what happened."

Trey threw up his arms in exasperation but didn't say anything.

I kept to the truth as close as I dared. Spinning lies is a good way to get caught, omitting details makes the story much more plausible. I was on my way home, I saw the fire, I tried to help but couldn't call for help at the time because Danny had my phone. I left when I knew there was no way to save McAlister, picked up Danny and then called 911.

Sometime during the Sheriff's barrage of questions my eyes drifted. Drawn by the unmistakable prickling of being watched. I spied Roy Stevens and his associate Kelly Lewis. Kelly was busy chatting up another deputy, but Stevens' eyes were all for me. I didn't see any of his entourage but I had a feeling they weren't far off. It might look a tad suspicious for the army to be investigating an accident so I imagined some of the looky-loos were Weyland goons in civvies.

My eyes held Stevens'. I wanted to ask so badly why he was even here. I hadn't seen any of them around after our initial meeting and honestly thought he'd lost interest. Something had to have drawn him back.

"Nina?"

My eyes snapped back to Watkins. He glanced over his shoulder, saw Stevens and tensed, indicating that he knew who Stevens was. Watkins muttered a curse then met my eyes, a thunderous storm brewing behind his brown orbs. The MIB wannabe apparently, stepped on the good Sheriff's toes.

"Acquaintance of yours?" He asked tersely.

I snorted, "Hardly. Any idea why he's here?"

Watkins flipped his notebook closed, "No idea." He straightened, wiry arms crossing over his chest. "Care to tell me why a senior military officer has a hard-on for you? Or why he tried to compel a judge into getting a warrant to search your property?"

My brows shot up, and I saw Trey blanch in my periphery. "When did he do that?"

"Same day you told him to take a hike." He shrugged, "He had no probable cause. Or at least nothing he seemed willing to share. He threatened to go higher up the chain but lost interest once folks started disappearing."

My brows furrowed, "Who's missing?"

He ran a hand through his close-cut dark curls. "Couple of hunters haven't checked in. Nothing worth sending the dogs out for yet. I know Dale and his boys, they probably went on a bender and are just too chickenshit to come home to their wives."

My insides churned, I had no proof, but my gut instinct said those hunters were baby Xenomorph chow. McAlister and his Rotty couldn't account for all of the Xenomorphs we'd killed. And a little quick math in my head gave me pause. We were looking for at least four more bodies, plus however many Lobomon killed when he and his brother were separated.

"I need to get Danny home, Sheriff. Are we good?" I asked abruptly. On top of all the pain, I felt sick to my stomach now. I'd seen McAlister's chest ripped open, his organs spilling out. No one deserved that.

He nodded, "Alright. But keep your phone on so if I need to get in touch." His eyes traveled back over his shoulder, and I followed his line of sight. Mr. Stevens was gone, and so was Kelly. He met my eyes again, "Let me know if you have any trouble."

I smiled tiredly, "Will do."

"I'll escort you back to your truck," Trey offered.

"That's alright, Trey." I bent over and helped Danny climb onto my back, looping my arms under his legs. Danny mumbled, but his eyes never opened as he clung to me. The kid was heavier than I remembered and it still kind of hurt but the EMT had given me some lovely painkillers.

"Nina don't be ridiculous. Hand Danny over to me." Trey said sternly.

My hold tightened, I wasn't giving my brother to anyone. Not after tonight. Trey only wanted to help, but I also didn't want to give him the opportunity to ask about my shoulder. "I'm cool, Trey." I jerked my head towards the steadily growing crowd of onlookers. Nothing this exciting has happened in years and everyone wanted to have a story to tell. The gossip in small towns spreads faster than the flu in a daycare. "I think you guys have your hands full."

Trey noticed the people trying to get under the yellow tape on the sides of the road. "Shit." He spared me a final glance, "You sure you're gonna be alright?"

I hefted my brother and started down the road. "I'll live."

...

By the time I parked the truck in our drive, the sun's rude asscrack was peeking over the horizon, and I was hanging onto consciousness with the sheer force of will. And the occasional poke to the shoulder. The pain helped keep me awake but damn the exhaustion coupled with those painkillers made it clear this was a losing battle.

I kicked open the door, scooted my ass to the edge of the seat and dangled my legs above the ground. The two-foot drop looked more like twenty at this point. I hung there like a limp marionette, teetering dangerously on the edge of unconsciousness. My body lost the fight to gravity, and my heavy lids closed.

I pitched forward and hit the ground with an audible thud. I groaned, faced scrunched in discomfort, but I didn't have it in me to get up. Sharp clicking made my ears twitch, and a breathy sigh escaped me as a shadow fell over my face.

"You know..." I shifted, eyes slitting open to angle a glare up at the shadowed humanoid shape. "You're supposed to catch me _before_ I fall on my face."

Pakkun laughed, the deep throaty rumble sent little electric impulses jolting through my body. He crouched, mindful of his strength and claws he picked me up with a gentleness I hadn't thought such a fearsome predator was capable of. My head lulled against his chest, the beat of his heart, it was heavier and slower than a human's.

A strange warbly noise vibrated in his throat. Kind of like the keening sound canines make when concerned only much lower in pitch. My lids cracked open, and my bleary eyes slowly focus on his helmet covered face. He made the uncertain noise again, and I tilted my head back, squinting as the light of the sun stabbed my eyes.

"It's not safe," I mumbled. "You should be cloaked." I doubt we were followed, nor did I believe a human could sneak up on Pakkun. But with all the excitement up the road, I couldn't help the worry churning in my guts.

He snorted, and the dismissive sound brought the tiniest smile to my lips.

He started to move, and I shifted in his hold making him growl. "Wait," I dug my fingers into his chest, "what about Danny?"

A curt grunt had me turning back towards the truck. Lobomon stood on the opposite side with Danny draped over his shoulder. I scowled. "Lobomon you shouldn't be walking," I chastised softly.

"Zabin," he growled, his eyes narrowing behind the cracked helmet, but strangely there wasn't any malice behind the word anymore, just annoyance that I'd wounded his pride by suggesting he shouldn't be walking. I'd said it out of concern, and he took it as a personal challenge to his strength. I kept forgetting how serious these guys are about pride and honor.

I rolled my eyes. Now my brain hurt on top of everything else.

Lobomon growled softly, his eyes carefully guarded as they flicked from my face to his brothers. Pakkun stiffened like his hackles were rising. My heart picked up in tempo, sensing the danger but unsure what had brought in on. Both males tensed, and I knew they could hear the sudden spike in my pulse. Lobomon met my eyes, and I stared into those cold missed matched orbs questioningly. He turned away with a derisive snort and gave both of us his back as he headed for the house.

Pakkun subtly relaxed and clicked angrily, following after his brother. I stared up at his face, the thoughts I'd put in check earlier came flooding back.

 _They're so different from us..._

Danny believed Pakkun was like Thor, but I knew better. Even Thor or at least _Marvel's_ interpretation of Thor was very, very human. He was a god, sure, but his moral compass was that of a boy scout's. Pakkun and Lobomon, even though they were capable of being gentle and showing compassion, everything they did was very bestial. Humans have domesticated themselves, while these guys thrived on their primal instincts.

Danny had grown dangerously attached to these guys. To him, they were his friends, maybe even his brothers. But to me? I'd lusted after Pakkun in the beginning and before I knew it I'd developed a fatal attraction. Even if a relationship was possible was it smart? When it comes to love _-barf-_ nothing is ever just black and white. And a relationship with an unknown alien species is like Fifty Shades of What The Fuck area.

 _Ugh, shut up brain!_

Pakkun's head tilted down, and my emerald orbs locked with his amber ones. I tried to read them, tried desperately to understand the inner workings of his mind. He cocked his head in confusion, sensing but unable to interpret the nature of my distress.

 _"Pakkun likes you..."_ Danny's voice taunted.

"Pakkun," I licked my lips, and they tasted like dirty pennies. "You said I wasn't prey," my throat wanted to close up, and I swallowed hard, "then what am I?"

His neck straightened, and he trilled softly. I didn't need a translator to know I'd confused him. It was obvious in the way his eyes narrowed as he watched me and the quiet unintelligible rumbles he made.

"Nevermind," I sighed, letting the exhaustion tug me back under. Yawning, I curled into him and rubbed my face against his warm skin. A contented noise softly reverberated in his chest, and a smile twitched at my lips.

 _For such a frightening predator he sure does make some cute noises..._

* * *

 **A/N: Hi everyone! So I managed to get one published on Turkey day! Hope everyone enjoyed it and have a good Holiday! Er- well if you celebrate it. Otherwise, have a good day in general. This chapter is a bit slower pace than usual. Nina's starting to realize things aren't going to be black and white. And wanting a relationship with an unknown species puts her in a huge gray area. Until next time everyone! Thank you for all the favs, follows, and reviews. Sorry for any mistakes! Yautja definitions at the bottom.**

 **KittyKatt25: Ugh, I agree. It hurts no matter what. Looking away doesn't do squat! Lol, thanx, Kitty!**

 **crocfarmer: Thank you, Felix! So glad you loved it! (smiles like a big igit) Say hi to your friends for me!**

 **Shenandoah76209: Nina and the boys definitely deserve some downtime. Hope you like the update! :D**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Lol, I think Nina wants to know who wants her too ;D Thanx for the love!**

 **Guest reviewers: G1~ I love the meathead too. Not sure about the Tarzan reference. Or at least I don't recall. Anyway so happy you like it! Thanx :) G2~ You're fantastic! Thank you! G3~ Surgery?! Oh, I hope you're okay! Feel better! So happy you're enjoying it! XD G4~ I will write more :)**

 **Kay: Hahaha loony bin. I'd hide in the closet and just hand you the updates XD I love the little bonding moments too. I get a little giddy when I write them. Thanx, Kay! Chi'ytei**

 **Black cross0: Lol, the preds stole her moment in the spotlight for the queen fight. But she'll get other chances to prove she's a badass to her brother ;) Thanx, cross!**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Lol, I'm glad you caught the way Nina attacked his pride to get him to move. Thanx for the compliment on the way I write my Yautja. And it makes a huge difference that your character can speak their language. Luna no one can write your story or your characters better than you. So don't doubt yourself. OMG, you've been in a barn fire?! That sucks! Anyway thanx, Luna!**

 **Haylz93: Glad the last update was worth it. Hope this one was too. Nina and the guys definitely deserve some downtime. Thanx, Haylz XD**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Thanx for the love, Bre! XD Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **angel897: Pleased as punch you found it awesome! Thanx! :)**

 **xXWhoWantsToKnowXx: Ah, I'm so glad you love it! Not as much action in this chapter but hopefully it keeps you wanting more ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **crystalga: (Smiles happily) Glad you liked it! A little slower pace this chapter but here's hoping you're still on the edge of your seat ;D Thanx, crystalga!**

 **1WhoLoves2ReadAlot: So happy you enjoyed it! Lo's still a mystery, even to me. ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **sousie: Lol, sorry it ended that way but hopefully it was worth it! Thanx for the love sousie! XD**

 **XxShadowfangxX: Glad you liked the turnout of the previous chapter! This one's a bit slower but hopefully, it'll leave you itching for more! XD**

 **CieloDistante: The brothers definitely owe Nina. Hmmm, will they return to their homeworld? You'll have to keep reading cause I don't give spoilers ;D Lol, yeah both of the names Danny chose for the brothers are canine related. But I can't wait to share their real names with you ;D**

 **Rasha007: I'm pleased you enjoyed the fight scenes. I have a lot of fun writing those ;) Thanx, 007!**

 **flor da aurora: Glad you enjoyed it! Thanx for the love! :)**

 **Stace: Ah, thanx for the compliment. I'm always worried about boring parts. Sorry for grammar errors. I was never good at it. Anyway, I know this chapters a tad slower but hopefully, it still keeps you wanting more ;)**

 **kimah36: Thanks for the compliment. Yeah, I knew I had to find a way to keep the queen in check otherwise Nina wouldn't have been able to rescue Lo. Thanx for the love, kimah! Your reviews always make me smile! :)**

 **Tenfangirl: I managed to get another update out for Turkey day. A little slower this chapter but hopefully you're still sittin' on the edge for more XD**

 **cleocleo22: Ah, thanx for the compliment. I'm thrilled you're enjoying it! XD**

 **09sasha: Your review had me smiling from ear to ear. I'll try not to doubt so much. I'm so pleased you are enjoying the story. I do plan on making this story a lengthy one. Thanx for the love, sasha :)**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Lol, yeah he's been calling her an insect. Thanx, Maiden XD**

 **waterflame4991: Lol, there's lots of other Yautja/Human pairings on this site. I'm so happy you're enjoying mine. And thank you for the compliment. Your review filled me with happy, warm fuzzies :)**

 **Zombiehorde13: (Smiles happily) Your review was so sweet. Thank you. A little slower this chapter but hopefully you're still teetering on your seat. ;)**

 **Loomiechu: Lol, glad you are enjoying it. And I'm glad you didn't have to work the next day either. Hopefully, you slept in. And yes, updates are every Thursday. Thanx for the love :)**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: Thank you for the compliment, Emporer. Hope you enjoyed the update ;)**

 **FFEShadowfoot: Glad you liked it. Thanx for the love :)**

 **Hefster: If there's ever an off world relocation it will be later in the story. I'm pleased you enjoyed the previous update. Thanx, Hefster :)**

 **ElijahJessGodric: I'm happy you love it! Thanx for the love and support ;)**

 **K Riley: Glad you found it awesome! Your review made me smile. Lol, we'll see about more gifts from the twins. Happy Turkey day, Riley! Thanx for the love! XD**

 **DarkSpiritDemon: Possible triad relationship ;) Thanx for the support. Glad you enjoyed it!**

* * *

 **Yautja definitions**

 **M-di: No**

 **Zabin: Insect**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Pixar Affect**

 _Fire licked at my skin... tasting me... savoring the agonized whimpers tumbling from my lips. The blistering heat drank the tears clouding my vision. The acrid smoke searing my throat closed with each ragged inhalation._

 _"Lo-" I wheezed, my mouth coated in ash._

 _An enraged shriek rose over the din. I whirled, my eyes focusing on the Xenomorph Queen as she rose up out of the flame like a stygian obsidian phoenix. Her massive crown adorned in the grisly remains of human hosts. The queen's body became pitted, melting like plastic, exposing the flesh and bones, but the queen didn't scream in pain. She smiled at me, lips quivering as they parted to unveil glistening, gnashing fangs. The queen stood on her hind legs, revealing something cradled in her smaller second set of spindly arms._

 _"Danny!"_

No, no, no, no, _I inwardly wailed._ This isn't right! Danny wasn't there!

 _"Danny!"_

 _A bellow answered my cry. Lobomon appeared beside me._

 _"Lo! Save, Danny!" I pleaded desperately._

 _Lobomon blinked, eyes wild as they search for me through the broken helmet. The queen hissed; and my eyes widened in sheer horror as I saw her head dip down, drool dripping from her lips onto my brothers head._

 _I dug my fingers into Lobomon's forearm, "Lo! Save, Danny! Save my brother!"_

 _The barn gave a throaty groan, support beams snapped, cracking like gunfire. Burning hay and wood hailed down over us as the structure began to collapse. My line of sight on my brother and the queen became obscured by a wall of flame._

 _"No-"_

Nina...

 _"Danny?!" I whirled around, but there was nothing. Even Lobomon had been consumed._

"Nina!"

My eyes flashed open. Forcibly slammed back into consciousness by the sound of my brother's voice. My heart jackknifed in my chest, and I shot up from my prone position with an adrenalized and overwhelming need to protect Danny.

"Dan-" I didn't get very far. A strong arm shot out and wrapped around my midsection.

"No!" I yelped. Fighting. Afraid. The alien holding me growled, it's steely grip constricting me further.

"Nina it's okay!" Danny appeared beside me, his knees sinking into the mattress and dipping me towards him. "It's okay," he repeated, his small hands touched my face.

"Danny?" I croaked, voice hoarse from abuse. God, I felt frayed. Shaking uncontrollably as the nightmares chittered angrily, crawling back into the seedy trenches they'd carved into my brain. Festering and taking root like the parasites they are.

I laid my sweat-dampened forehead against my brother's shoulder, unable to completely collapse against him thanks to the kiddy ride safety bar holding my waist.

Danny tentatively held me, his fingers featherlight and unsure.

"How long was I out that time?" I asked groggily. My throat hurt, and when I spoke, it sounded like my esophagus had gone through a woodchipper.

His brow puckered, "You slept longer this time. I binged watched the _Jurassic Park_ movies. The brothers seem to like those."

"Of course, they did," I snorted sarcastically. The strong arm wrapped around my middle flexed, and I shifted my head on Danny's shoulder to glare at- Lobomon? Not the brother I'd been expecting that's for damn sure. Lobomon lay stretched out on his side; his elbow propped up to support his head. The helmet he wore wasn't the same as before, this one, had sharper angles. Carved into the forehead and flowing down and over the left view slit were three parallel strands of alien glyphs. The details were beautiful, more ornate than the one with the jaw bone attached at the bottom.

Lobomon's eyes watched mine impassively through the slits, conveying nothing. However, the longer I held his eyes, the tighter the arm holding me became. The tips his claws pricked my bare skin, a touch far too possessive and intimate and moreover confusing, to come from Lobomon.

"He's been like that for hours."

I lifted my head and blinked in confusion at my brother. "What?"

Danny's eyes cut to Lobomon then back to me. "Lobomon. He's been like that for hours." Danny sat down criss-cross applesauce style and pressed his hands into the mattress behind him and leaned back. "Not at first. Pakkun slept beside you for a long time, but he disappeared a while ago. Lobomon was asleep on the floor of the kitchen, but you kept shouting and thrashing in your sleep." His face scrunched in thought, "But I think he laid next to you because you started calling his name."

 _I did what?!_ My pulse spiked, I tried not to look at him, but in my periphery, I noticed Lobomon's eyes narrow ever-so-slightly. I swallowed.

Danny's concerned emerald orbs met mine. "What were you dreaming about anyway? The queen?" His lips thinned, "You didn't make it sound so scary two nights ago."

Was it really only two nights ago? My body felt just as heavy and just as sore as if it had only been mere minutes ago. The nightmare of the queen cradling my baby brother in her arms flashed across my mind's eye. I shuddered, and the hand at my hip tightened, accompanied by a subtle growl.

 _The bitch is dead..._ I reassured myself. The worst was over... and yet, there was still this bitter nagging feeling of unease. You ever wake up and instinctively you know something bad is going to happen and can't explain it? That's the feeling I woke up too, wrongness, and it made me sick to my stomach.

Danny's face grew stern, and he crossed his arms over his chest like he meant business. It was _sooo_ cute. "Nina, what happened?"

"It was just a nightmare, Danny, I'm fine," I sighed. Like hell, I was gonna tell him the truth. I still couldn't get the scent of burning flesh from my nose or the Close Encounters of the Nightmare Inducing Kind from running rampant inside my skull. He'd have to live with the Reader's Digest version.

Danny scowled, "Then why were shouting my name in your sleep too?"

"Because in the nightmare, you hit puberty!" I growled.

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I'm only trying to help!"

I blew out a breath I just didn't have the mental stamina for our normal back and forth. Bantering with Danny was typically fun, the kid could get riled up so easily, but sometimes it was downright infuriating. My emotions were already on a hair-trigger, and blowing up on my brother would only make me feel worse in the end. Danny was only trying to help. The kid just didn't realize the kind of help I needed at the moment was a fifth of Jack and way to purge myself of the stress and fear. I hated being afraid. I didn't want to curl up and cry- I was too fucking pissed for that.

"You wanna help?" I rubbed my face tiredly, wincing as the movement made the healing scars in my shoulder pinch.

He nodded. His face guarded. Maybe he thought I was about to give him the brush off. Admittedly it did occur to me, but Danny wasn't the type to let anything go. Ever. But I wanted him out of the room. Even if just for a moment.

"Will you get me a glass of water?"

His emerald eyes narrowed, but he nodded with a tiny grunt of acknowledgment. Danny stood up, his eyes darting between me, and Lobomon once before heading into the kitchen.

My eyes followed him until he disappeared, then fell on the muscular arm imprisoning me. The heat of his skin was blistering against my bare and dirty abdomen. The shredded remains of my clothes left almost nothing to the imagination, and I stared hard at the dark diamondback colored flesh of his forearm. Feeling my attention, the hand at my hip clutched a little harder, his claws dangerously close to piercing the skin. And I realized there was nothing intimate about this situation. It was purely possessive.

I met Lobomon's eyes, and like the night of the barn fire when he'd held me so fiercely, I saw no hesitation. No malice. The dynamics between us had changed, but on a much larger scale than the way they'd changed between Pakkun and I. In the beginning, Pakkun and I didn't see eye to eye, and he'd even been rough with me, but Lobomon had loathed me to the point it bordered on outright hate. But now...

Lobomon's orbs narrowed, and he rose up, bracing his hand against the floor as he looked down at me now. He made a strange, unthreatening rumble in the back of his throat and the hand at my hip ghosted its way up to the back of my neck where I could feel his claws scrape my skin as it fisted in the back of my hair. My eyes widened, I had no idea what was happening or why his lone amber orb brightened to wolf gold.

"Lo?" I whispered, my voice breathy and unsure. A barrage of butterflies assaulted my insides, fluttering so hard it was on the verge of making me dizzy. My hand came up and touched the cool helmet, and Lobomon leaned into the touch as if he could feel my palm through the metal. His eyes never left mine, but I felt him assessing me, and after an intense suspended moment his eyes closed with a small distressing noise that I couldn't interpret. And just as quickly as the weird moment came it passed, and Lobomon pulled away from me.

My face pinched in confusion, and my heart faltered at the loss of his touch. I almost reached out to him, I suddenly, desperately wanted to know what he'd been thinking of doing but I heard Danny's approaching footsteps and fisted my hand in the sheets.

Lobomon straightened, his eyes opened slowly, revealing an emptiness so absolute it froze those butterflies fluttering in my stomach and shattered them. A moment ago I was lost, now I was cast in total darkness. I didn't know what to make of his severe swing in mood. Could it be my brother?

Danny walked into the living room glass in hand. Lobomon's eyes closed once more. Completely shutting me out as he laid back down and rested the weight of his head in his palm.

"Here, Neens."

Danny offered me the glass of water, and I took it with a short nod of thanks. My hands trembled as I held it to my lips. Lobomon never moved, his eyelids never even twitched to open, and it left me feeling disconnected and dejected.

I gulped down the water, wincing as my throat worked but loving the coldness of it. "Thanks, kiddo," I breathed, then smiled sheepishly. "Do you mind getting me one more?"

He took the glass and grinned conspiratorially, "Fine, but you have to tell me about the battle with the queen."

I expelled a put-upon sigh, " _Fine_."

He smiled victoriously, got up and trotted back to the kitchen. I'd keep my word, but I never said I wouldn't edit it. Cut out the parts where I almost piss myself, scream like a bitch, and almost died, and what remained was a heroic tale where two alien badasses basically, save his sister -who unfortunately will have to be painted as the damsel in distress again- and the South. I'd fill it with so much excitement and rainbows it would be _Disney_ quality, never giving real fear a chance to plague my brother the way it did me.

"Lo?"

I glanced at him, and he cracked open an eye, the true silver of his iris startling against the almost midnight black of his eyelid.

"They're dead, right? The Xenomorphs?" I asked softly, not wanting Danny to hear me. The kid wasn't nearly as petrified as I was when it came to the Xenomorphs, but then again he'd never seen them up close. Never felt the foul heat of their breath on his face. Never experienced the pain of a Xenomorph's fangs piercing his flesh or the mind-numbing terror of realizing it didn't want to eat you but use you as a breeding tool. No. He never had, and he never would. So long as they were all dead, I was okay with letting Danny continuing to believe they were nothing more than overgrown bugs.

Lobomon held my gaze for a solid three seconds before closing his eye and giving me a subtle nod. I expelled a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding and smiled at my brother as he reentered the room.

"Okay," he handed me the glass, "now talk."

I blew a raspberry at him and giggled into the glass as he scowled.

"Nina," he whined. "You said-"

I held up a hand to stop him as I drank down the water. My throat still felt parched. But if I downed another glass I'd waterlog myself. "I know," I said, coming up for air. "But it can wait until after I shower."

He looked like he wanted to protest, thought better of it, and gave the air a subtle sniff. I bristled as he plugged his nose. "You do smell kinda ripe," he said oh-so-helpfully.

"Gee thanks," I retorted dryly.

He took the glass back with a mischievous tilt to his lips. "Kind of like a burning trash heap."

Lobomon snorted, and I glowered down at him. He didn't open his eyes. My narrowed gaze traveled over him, noticing for the first time that he'd removed several pieces of his armor. I had an unobstructed view of his thickly muscled chest and well-defined torso before stopping at the puckered and melted looking scar tissue on his thigh. The forcefully closed wound in my shoulder twinged painfully in sympathy. Lobomon's through and through wound had been closed in the same manner. I leaned over. He must've sensed my movement because his eyes cracked open to watch as I gently touched the mound of scar tissue. He didn't complain, but I didn't want to cause him any discomfort, so I kept my touches light. The wound in his leg had been worse than my shoulder, but it didn't look swollen or inflamed like mine. They really did heal a lot faster than us.

 _I bet they live longer too..._

My lips pressed thin, and I pulled my hand away. "Are you in pain?" It was stupid to ask. The question would only annoy him but because I liked the big dummy I couldn't help it.

Lobomon closed his eyes and snorted derisively, "Zabin."

I rolled my eyes and poked the bastards freshly healed wound.

He growled softly but didn't bother opening his eyes again.

"Big dummy," I huffed. I found my brother watching our interaction with a screwed up look that said he was thoroughly confused and smiled at him. "Think you can help me up?"

That got his attention. He blinked, his face softening into lines of concern. "Can you make it up the stairs?"

I pushed back the sheets, grimacing when I got a good look at the aftermath. Dirt caked my legs in dry, cracked smears, flaking off in areas and leaving gaps of bare skin. There were thin, scrape abrasions everywhere, gritty with dirt and they'd all scabbed over. Great. I'd have to scrub them all clean and apply antiseptic. I might as well fill the tub with rubbing alcohol and bathe in it. Surprise flitted through me upon noticing my left ankle. The EMT had cleaned the claw wounds and advised I needed stitches, along with her stern warning to go to the hospital. I'd ignored the warning and completely forgotten about my ankle but someone else hadn't. The wounds had been cleaned and stitched closed with a couple of metal staples that weren't meant for human skin but an alien with the thick hide of a gator.

"Pakkun did that."

I glanced up at Danny and cocked a brow.

Crouched in front of me, Danny swayed back and forth, rolling on the balls of his feet. "He put something weird on your burns too."

With a grunt, I gently lifted my left foot and scrutinized the bottom, but other than the angry red of the ribbon-like burn patterns caused by the individual pieces of burning hay and grime, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Whatever he'd used must've dried and seemed to have healed some of the damage. It didn't hurt that much when I poked the sole, and they didn't look as bad as they probably should.

 _At least he didn't use the Devil's freaking silly putty again..._ I shuddered at the thought.

"Yeah," I sighed and set my foot down, "I think I can make it." Borrowing my brother's shoulder once more, I managed to get my feet under me and stood. I wobbled like a newborn calf for a second but was both surprised and proud when I made it to the stairs without falling over.

The point between my shoulder blades and neck pinched. It was stupid to feel the need to impress anyone after the hell I'd been through, but with Lobomon's heavy gaze upon my back, I stiffened my spine and ascended the stairs without using the aid of the rail. I'd saved his life. Wasn't that proof enough of my strength? And yet, I kept wanting- no I _needed_ to validate myself. And not to just Lobomon, but to Pakkun as well.

In the bathroom, I stripped down, fighting every wince as if I were still being watched and sat on the edge of the tub. The water came out icy, and it felt amazing to my feet.

As I watched the water turn a dull brown and swirl down the drain; my thoughts became plagued with the brothers and why I needed to impress them. We all do things, sometimes even foolish things, to garner the attention of a potential boyfriend, but I've never gone out of my way for anyone. Not like this. It's strange, but it almost feels like the brothers primal instincts were somehow imprinting on me.

The thrill of the hunt is what drives them, and I had a feeling they treated every aspect of their lives this way. Including the pursuit of a mate. I have no idea how I'd stack up to a female of their species, but I had a feeling bikini bombshells weren't what attracted these guys to potential mates.

 _Mates..._ And there goes my subconscious again dropping asinine word bombs. Wasn't having one fatal attraction bad enough? The thought was ludicrous -nope scratch that- looney fucking toon's! Mates? Ha!

But was it crazy? I knew there was a connection between myself and Pakkun, but Lobomon? I thought back to the moment after the fire, the way he looked at me and held me. In that tiny window of time, our paradigm hadn't simply just shifted but flipped on its axis. And the possessive way he held me not ten minutes ago proved that.

"Fuck," I moaned miserably. Battling the Xenomorph Queen had been way less stressful. Not that I wanted a repeat performance. For awhile I'd debated with myself whether or not a relationship with Pakkun was even possible given our diverse differences. But a polyandry? Moreover, even if it was possible my brain just couldn't conjure a scenario in which we all lived happily-ever-fucking-after.

This isn't _The Little Mermaid_ , and no amount of magic or wishful thinking could change the hard fact that they were aliens and I was human. Every day they spent on Earth was risky, and we'd live in constant hiding- _ugh that's it! Rant over, shut up brain!_

Leaning forward, I stuck my head under the icy water and shivered. The water turned a dark dingy brown again, and I closed my eyes just feeling the grime slide from my skin. Becoming clean again. I sat like that for a long time, taking in even breaths. Unfortunately, the thing about plaguing thoughts is that they can be just as resilient and crippling as a physical ailment.

I shivered as the queen flashed before my mind's eye again. Recalling the horrible angry cries of Lobomon as he became trapped in the barn. The feel of teeth sinking into my skin...

My eyes cracked open, and I swallowed around the lump choking my breath. The water raining from the ends of my hair ran clear now. The dirt was gone. The blood was gone. The wounds were the last remaining proof that I'd faced a terrifying monster and won. I recalled the moment in which Lobomon yanked me from the truck and smiled at how warm the memory made me feel.

The warmth seeped into my skin, and a shudder passed through me as it spread up and down my spine. A large hand pressed into my back, and I started at the sudden contact. My eyes widened in surprise, but I didn't flinch away. Instinctually I'd become acclimated to Pakkun's presence and even though, I hadn't heard him, I think on some level I'd sensed his nearness.

Using his claws, the hand at my back traced the vertebra of my spine, and there was something so viscerally frightening, and at the same time so intimate about the touch that it made me shiver. I'd seen those claws render flesh from bone and now he turned those deadly weapons on me, alighting little trails of heat in their path as they found their way into my wet hair and sank in deep.

I expelled a shuddering breath as he growled softly and gently forced my head back. Pakkun stared down at me. His lupine colored orbs a stunning shade of brilliant gold. Every thought I'd been torturing myself with up until now fled in fear of the need glittering in his irises. In the past guys have lusted over me or they wanted me, but none of them have ever looked at me with a need that bordered on primal.

Pakkun growled, the sound so low, so feral, it vibrated my bones. He was angry I realized.

"What is it?" I breathed, the words barely audible over the water pelting the tub. Tentatively, I reached up and placed my hand along the jawline of his helmet, the bottom half of my palm pressed into his skin, and I could feel the movement of his mandibles. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch with a soft rumble that managed to sound both contented and frustrated at the same time.

 _He was worried..._

The understanding brought a tiny smile to my lips. Humans have words for these emotions, but I wasn't so sure Pakkun's species did. I wanted to let him know I was okay but I decided to do it in a way he'd understand. I think I needed him the same way he needed me.

"Pakkun," my voice soft, but stern. I remembered the way Lobomon wouldn't move until I made it an indisputable command. Pakkun came in here with the intention of fucking me, but I think the possibility of hurting me is what kept his feet rooted to the floor.

Pakkun's eyes slitted open, watching me like prey. I met those fearsome wolf gold orbs and held them. Conveying, without words that I was okay with what was about to happen. Sometimes body language can get intent across more vividly than words.

His pupils ate the irises, leaving nothing but a thin gold band. With a growl, he spun me around, and I suddenly found myself pressed into the slick, cool tile of the shower wall. His hands ran up the back of my legs, lifting them and coaxing me to wrap them around him. My breath hitched as he dragged those claws back down the underside of my butt and thighs, spurring me to clutch at him harder. The metal and mesh of his armor bit into the inside of my thighs, into my sex, and I hissed in discomfort. With shaking fingers, I reached between us and tried feverishly to remove the offending gear only to freeze when Pakkun growled in warning.

Slowly he reached up and jerked the hose connected to his helmet. It disconnected with a hush of air. The sound was drowned out by the rushing water and the furious rhythm of my heart. When he removed the helmet, it was no less shocking than the first time. My eyes traced over the bony frill of his broad skull, pausing briefly on the scar above his hooded brow and watched in fascination as his mandibles stretched out to reveal his teeth.

My eyes slid back up to meet his, and I got the vague impression he was gauging my reaction. Seeing if he frightened me and whether or not I would flee. It annoyed me.

I smiled, displaying my teeth. Not nearly as frightening, but I'd get my point across, even if I had to beat it into his thick skull with a frying pan. I rolled my hips against him and ignored the bitter sting of his gear against my delicate parts.

He growled, eyes slitting dangerously and becoming wild. The gentle nature that sometimes peeked out of Pakkun's rough exterior was gone. This apex predator was the real Pakkun.

He roared, a sound most definitely heard throughout the house. I vaguely worried about my brother overhearing only to cease all thought as the metal gear slid out from between us and hit the tub floor with a loud clatter. I swallowed hard, fighting the rising tide of oh-my-fucking-god-this-is-really-fucking-happening and the overwhelming curiosity to _see_ exactly what I was getting into- er I guess technically what was going to be getting into me.

He pulled me closer, imprisoning me, making escape from the strength of his body and the heat of his skin the last thing on my mind, not to mention impossible. Without preamble, confirming the fierceness of his need and just how unwound this normally well-controlled male was, he slammed into me hilt deep, and I bit into the firm muscle of his upper abdomen so that it would muffle my scream.

God, it hurt. It fucking hurt. My body shook from the violent intrusion of being spread so wide with zero preparation. Of course, he'd treat sex like another type of hunt. They treated _everything_ like a hunt. But of course, it never once occurred to me how Pakkun's species did the freaking nasty. Or how much bigger he would be than a human!

Pakkun's whole body stiffened, and I pressed my face into his skin, taking several deep breaths. Pakkun's head dipped down, his dreads tickling my shoulders as the tusks of his mandibles moved through my hair like fingers. He made a subtle keening rumble in the back of his throat. I grunted in response, hissing as I tried to force my inner walls to relax. Pakkun's hands were braced on the wall above my head, and I could hear the tiny cracks forming and splintering as he dug his claws into the tile. He knew he'd hurt me.

Pakkun rested the underside of his jaw on the crown of my head and started to purr. Quietly at first, almost as if he wasn't sure if he should but as the soft vibration lulled my muscles into relaxing it steadily grew louder and deeper. Suddenly I no longer felt the pain. The intense vibrations traveled along his already throbbing arousal, and I found myself shiver instead of shaking. Panting instead hissing. It was like biting onto a live wire and the current relentlessly coursed through my body, making my muscles clench for a completely different reason.

"Oh, god," I exhaled.

Pakkun didn't need any encouragement, he felt the rising tide of desire and the spasming of my warmth around him. Growling he gripped my hips, the tips of his claws pricking my skin as he pulled back, then thrust back inside again and again. I grabbed his sides, digging in my blunt nails as I road out the torrents of pleasure crashing inside me. My eyes watched the shaft of his cock slide in and out of me. The erotic sight sent me over the tipping point, and I cried out as my orgasm hit.

Spurred by the clamping of my warmth, and my moans Pakkun thrust harder. His movements were becoming feverishly erratic, and he ruthlessly stretched me. The delicious friction was like feeding a fire oxygen. Pakkun gave a snarly bark and my eyes locked with his. Shaking, gasping, I came a second time the rush of my hot liquid drenching his engorged cock. Pakkun gave a strangled roar, his member pulsed and jerked deep inside me, filling me with the hot spurt of his seed.

I collapsed against him, my body still spasming from the aftermath. It took a minute to come down from the high, and I finally started hearing the sound of the water running. It slapped against his back, dripping from his dreads, but he didn't seem bothered by it as he steadily watched my face. I tiredly smiled up at him, wishing I could kiss him. Unfortunately, that was something I'd have to live without, but I think the contented allure of his purring was an amazing trade-in.

Pakkun gripped my ass, and I groaned as he slid out of me. I really didn't want to think something cheesy like 'damn that thing fit inside me?!'.

 _But damn that thing fit inside me?! Oh, dear Penthouse Forum..._ Nah. Nevermind. No one would believe me anyway.

It was official, though. Human males were fired.

Pakkun gently set me on my feet, snorting when I grabbed him for balance and slowly turned us towards the water.

"Shit that's cold!" I yelped and quickly turned on the hot tap. The water warmed and for a while we just stood there quietly, enjoying each others presence.

I tilted my head back and met his eyes, "Pakkun what is your nam-"

Pakkun's neck straightened, his head turning towards the door. The hand resting on my uninjured shoulder tightened, and he pulled me back against him with a menacing growl.

"What is it?" I asked, my mind automatically jumping to the worst scenario.

 _But Lobomon said all the Xenomorphs were dead?_

"Nina!" Danny shouted from just outside the door as he started to bang on it.

I tried to get out- to move for the door, but Pakkun held me to him. "What is it, Danny? Are you okay?!"

"Nina! Trey's at the front door!"

Oh, my god. It's so much worse than my worst fear.

"What?!"

"He sounds pissed, Neens. What should I do?"

"Mother fucker," I growled. I tried to pull away again and once again Pakkun's iron grip held me in place. I glowered up at him, "Pakkun I really don't have time for this! I have to get down there and get Trey to leave." To Danny, I shouted, "Danny make sure that dummy Lobomon is cloaked, send him out the back door and then let Trey in. Tell him I'll be down in a minute."

"Um, okay," he said sounding skeptical, and I wondered if it was the asinine thought of getting Lobomon to do anything. Probably- no definitely that. Once I heard Danny's steps on the stairs I whirled on Pakkun.

"You-" I narrowed my eyes at him. "-stand down."

He growled, eyes slitted and mandibles flaring slightly.

"Pakkun, Trey is my friend. Eventually, he will ignore Danny and come up here, and I will not allow you to hurt him."

He snorted, released me and snatched up his discarded gear and got out.

Sighing, I shut off the tap and followed. Pakkun got his gear back in place before I even finished wrapping myself in a towel.

"What are you waiting for?" I hissed. "Cloak already!"

He huffed, thrusting his freaking gauntlet in my face.

"What?"

He tapped a few buttons. A blue energy current sparked and sputtered sporadically before dissipating. Water collected at the sharp edges of the gauntlet and dripped onto the floor.

"Fuck," I ran a hand down my face. This was so not happening. "The cloak won't work when your gear is wet?"

He nodded curtly.

"Okay. Fine. New, plan," I pinned him with my best death stare. "Stay here."

Pakkun ignored me and headed for the door.

"Hey!" I whispered angrily and scrambled to get in front of him. Not easy when the guy filled up the matchbox-sized bathroom, but I pressed myself against the door as if my whopping hundred and thirty pounds stood a chance against his five hundred whatever pounds of stupid muscle. Seriously, it was sad, but I held firm and made an X with my arms. "Uh-uh, stay here Pakkun."

He made a bemused rumble in the back of his throat, and I knew Trey was a dead man if I couldn't get Pakkun to listen to me.

"I trusted you."

He stiffened, head tilting in confusion, but the amber orbs behind the helmet remained hostile.

Swallowing, I nodded towards the shower, "I trusted you. So don't dishonor me by not doing the same."

He growled, the slits in the helmet going dark. The anger radiating off of him raised the fine hairs up and down my arms but thankfully he didn't advance on the door again.

I tightened the huge beach towel -Seriously, we're in Lousiana why the crap do we own beach towels?- around me, mentally berating myself for once again failing to grab clothes. Scatterbrained, who? Moi? Nah...

Another thought occurred to me, and I stared back at Pakkun with a heated look. "By the way, we are still having a conversation about you stealing Danny and not telling me."

He snorted dismissively.

I opened the door and backed out, eyes still on him. "Stay here." I closed the door as he huffed in annoyance and cautiously made my way down the steps. I leaned on the rail this time. Without it, I'd kiss the floor and I know how long it's been since I last swept. The dust bunnies were the size of poodles and just as puffy.

At the bottom step, I found Trey standing in front of the TV inspecting the fucking Xenomorph skull sitting on the shelf. Shit. Fuck. Donkey nuts. Luckily, Trey didn't seem to find it suspicious just interesting. His brain probably rationalized it was one of my many horror movie fandom pieces. Maybe. Hopefully.

Trey glanced at me, his brow raising at the sight of the towel but then his eyes fell on the mound of still healing scar tissue on my shoulder and his expression hardened. A look so cold, I'd need an ice pick to chisel my way out. He turned, and it was then that I noticed Danny standing by the front door his face ashen and tight. Sweating bullets.

 _What the hell?_

My brow furrowed as my eyes attempted to adjust and focus on the strange way his body seemed to warp. I felt the color drain from my own face as I realized what my eyes were trying to perceive. It was fucking Lobomon. Cloaked, and standing in front of Danny. I think the only reason, I noticed was because I'd seen the weird stealth field before and knew not to focus directly on it. Trey noticed my strange behavior and started to turn in Danny's direction.

"Trey!"

His head whipped back, brow furrowed.

My normally quick razor wit failed me, and I sighed, suddenly feeling the gravity of my exhaustion and the deep ache of my wounds. Which up until my vertical alien tango with Pakkun hadn't been an issue. Now every wound flared to life as if to spite my happy happy fun time. So no, I wasn't in the mood to cajole or sooth my irate friend because I was feeling pretty pissed off myself.

I clutched the rail with one hand, feeling unsteady on my feet. Trey moved for me, but my brisk tone stopped him in his tracks. "Don't."

Concern flickered across his face, warring with the indignant set of his jaw. "Nina what the hell is going on with you?"

My eyes flicked behind him to my brother and back. Lying to Trey, and getting angry just because he was worried wasn't fair. But what could I do? I had to keep the twins safe. Had to make sure no one discovered their presence here. Lying to Trey meant keeping him alive. Pakkun had been ready to kill him. I'd seen it in his eyes. Whether it's good, or bad, sex changes the bonds between individuals. A human male sleeping with his girlfriend for the first time might get jealous and irritated at the intrusion of another male, but Pakkun isn't human. So I'd honestly rather have Trey angry with me than dead.

I stared Trey down, bore my gaze into his. Let him see just how ragged, tired, and angry I was. "I don't need this right now Trey." Giving him my back, I made my way intentionally into the kitchen, hoping he'd follow and get the hell away from Lobomon. "If you haven't noticed," I parked my ass against the stove and used it to keep me upright, "I'm still in bad shape."

Trey stepped into the kitchen and crossed his thick arms over his chest. "Yes, I've noticed." His scowl deepened, his normally warm chocolate irises frost bitten. "I also noticed your truck, Neens. That's some serious damage. What happened that night of the fire after you dropped me off?"

I opened my mouth, and he interjected. "And I swear if you say aliens..." He let the open warning hang in the air.

Movement behind Trey had my eyes widening. Danny was holding onto and yanking at Lobomon. Which was funny given he was cloaked. What wasn't funny was how he was moving towards the kitchen.

"Stop!" I yelped. Trey jerked like I'd slapped him, thinking I was yelling at him to stop and not the advancing alien behind him. Danny kicked Lobomon's leg then proceeded to jump around with a silent scream on his face after stubbing his toes. Trey heard Danny and started to turn. I saw the shimmer of Lobomon's stealth cloak as he moved.

"God damn it I said stop!" I growled, narrowing my eyes on where I thought Lobomon's eyes might be. He stopped. Or at least I think he did because I could no long see the optical illusion of the cloak.

Trey whirled back, startled. Confusion, concern, anger battling across his features as he fixed his wide eyes on me. "Stop what, Nina? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Behind him, I noticed Danny pushing on the invisible dummy towards the stairs. To my immense relief, it looked like the idiot was complying and I sagged against the stove. "Just stop," I exhaled heavily.

Trey straightened and frowned at me, "Nina please talk to me?" The softening of his voice hurt more than if he'd slapped me.

"The truck-" I scrubbed a hand down my face in misery. "-was a hit and run." A lie by omission. A Xenomorph did hit me and ran away... with me in its teeth.

"What?" The outrage was back in his voice. "Did you get a look at the other car or driver?"

 _Oh, yeah. Big. Obsidian. Chitinous. Thinks humans taste like chicken. And a bad attitude._

I shook my head. "It's really dark on the back roads."

"And your shoulder?"

I didn't have a good answer for that one, so I merely shrugged and grunted when it pulled the healing skin tight. "Dunno, between the crash and the fire your guess is as good as mine."

That answer didn't sit well with him. I hunched into myself, switching tactics. I hated looking pitiful. Hated how Trey's guard noticeably dropped when I hunched in on myself, and how easy it was to manipulate his emotions. Fuck, I was such a shitty friend.

Sighing, Trey closed the space between us and gently ran his warm hands up and down my arms. "You should've gone to the hospital."

I snorted.

He smirked, brushing the wet strands of hair sticking to my neck away. "Hell, I would've at least gone for a rabies shot after being bitten by the Dracula wannabe. Or would you get a shot of garlic extract?"

I snickered, "Ow- don't make me laugh. It hurts."

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. There was still to much concern and a hint of wariness that stung me with guilt. Trey wasn't stupid. On some level, he perceived my deception, and it hurt him.

I heard movement on the stairs, glanced around Trey to see my brother doing a bit of charades. He pointed up the stairs, looking vaguely constipated as he stared at me to get the point across. Trey glanced at Danny, and Danny dropped his arms and let out a winded sigh.

"Sup little man," Trey greeted. He smirked, but he gave my brother a suspicious lift of a brow.

My brothers face deadpanned as if to say 'Is he for real?!'. "Hi, Trey," he said with a half-hearted wave.

"You takin' good care of your sister?"

Danny nodded, "She's whiny, though."

"Hey!" I protested.

 _Well, excuse me for almost dying! How dare I!_

Trey snorted, "And is her boyfriend taking care of her too?" He glanced back at me, "You know I still haven't met him yet."

Danny's face scrunched, "Yeah he takes care of her- but earlier he made her scream."

"What?!" Trey and I said in unison. My eyes bugged and the blood rushed to my cheeks so fast I felt light headed. Danny had heard us in the shower. Peachy.

"Oh, fuck," I groaned.

"You said that a lot too." He tilted his head in thought while I begged him with my eyes to stop. He didn't. "Why were you screaming, Nina?" He scowled, "And why was he in the shower with you any-"

"Danny!"

"What?" He seemed honestly confused.

Trey wasn't. Trey was laughing at my pained expression. "So you're too exhausted to answer questions but not so exhausted to get in some rigorous exercise?" He wagged his brows suggestively. "So does that mean this phantom boyfriend of yours is here?"

"No," I barked before Danny could shovel more dirt on my grave.

"What's the matter, Neens? Afraid I won't approve?" Trey teased.

"No," I said dryly. "Our relationship's just complicated right now."

He frowned but didn't comment after a quick glance at Danny. He didn't want to get into it in front of my kid brother. "Well if he's not here right now, I can stick around and help?"

Danny's face went white and he vigorously shook his head. As if I didn't already know having Trey around was a bad idea.

"Trey," I dragged out his name, and I didn't have to fake the exhaustion I felt. "I love you, but I'm giving you the boot."

He frowned and opened his mouth, but I cut in before he could protest. "You're a great friend Trey, however, you have the worst bedside manner." Not nearly as bad as Lobomon's, but I didn't want Trey whittling away at me while I tried to recover. It's the cop mentality of needing to know everything. He pressed his lips together like he wanted to argue and I tacked on a very whiny, " _Please_."

With a sigh, he relented, "Alright." There was nothing happy about that word. "Get better, Neens."

I nodded, "Sleep. Food. And a little vitamin D and I'll be good as new." I eyed my shoulder, "Mostly, anyway."

He smirked, "Maybe a little less vitamin _F_ from your boyfriend will help too, neh?"

"Shut up," I said through gritted teeth, making him grin. I huffed, "Go away. I hate your face."

He chuckled but started towards the front door. "You love this face, and you know it."

Thank the gods we made it to the door.

He glanced back at me as he opened it and stood in the threshold. "What's his name anyway? Your boyfriend I mean?"

 _I wish I knew._

It was time to fix that. But to Trey, I merely narrowed my eyes and said hotly, "As if I'll tell you."

"What? Why not?"

"Because you'll abuse those cop powers of yours and look him up."

He grinned, "Your point?"

"Bye, Trey." I closed the door on his protest and leaned against it, listening to his laughter and retreating steps.

In front of me, twin figures decloaked, startling the hell out of me. "Didn't I tell you two to cut the ninja shit?!" The brothers tilted their heads in perfect unison, and I deflated.

 _Not human, Neens. They don't know any better._

How many times was I gonna have to remind myself that? "Do you guys not understand how close you came to getting caught?"

They looked at one another, then back at me.

"One ooman isss no threat," Lobomon growled.

I scowled, understanding clearly what he meant by that. "That _ooman_ is my friend. You guys get that you can't kill everyone you perceive as a threat, right? We've attracted too much attention already. Don't you understand that?" I met Pakkun's amber orbs and couldn't decipher a single thing. "Pakkun, I don't want to risk you guys getting exposed. And not just you two, but Danny and me as well. You guys don't want me to lose him do you?" Or our freedom. Because I was pretty sure Mr. Stevens would put me in dark, lightless pit somewhere for harboring aliens.

They didn't answer me but turned towards one another and a silent unreadable understanding passed between them. Lobomon met my eyes, his mismatched orbs conveying nothing as they narrowed. He cloaked, and walked away. I tried to follow the weird optical illusion but was blocked by Pakkun. I blinked up at him, and my stomach dropped somewhere in the vicinity of my knees.

"What is it?" I touched his arm.

He didn't answer me and the slits in his helmet went dark to shut me out...

...

That night and well into the following morning, I didn't sleep a wink, not even with Pakkun resting beside me. Lobomon had disappeared, and I didn't see him again until I awoke from a restless nap late in the afternoon. He was resting beside me in the same manner, Pakkun had been, body stretched out, head propped up and resting in his palm. One eye opened, the silver of his iris piercing against his dark eyelid and watch me as I glanced around the room. This time, Pakkun was gone.

The apprehensive notion of this being a shitty day churned in my gut much like it had the day before. Something was off. It hung in the air thick as a soaked blanket and made me nauseous. Or maybe that was the gym clothes stink coming from Mount Socksmore in the kitchen.

Could this feeling be stemming from having sex with Pakkun? I didn't think so, or at least I was hoping it wasn't. What if I'd misread him?

I sighed and scrubbed at my face, turning towards Lobomon. "Where's Pakkun?"

He stared at me in silence for a long moment then shut his eye, revealing nothing. "Asshole," I muttered.

Danny walked in from the kitchen, holding the big Totoro mug in his hands and a suspicious chocolate mustache on his upper lip. I smiled and held my hand out expectantly. He frowned, and I pouted.

He rolled his eyes, "Jeez you're needy."

I chuckled, taking the mug from him and sipping the chocolate milk. Danny sat beside me, controller in hand and turned on the Xbox.

"Have you seen Pakkun?"

"No," he said while scrolling through Hulu shows. "They've been leaving quite a bit, but never at the same time."

"Do you know what they're doing?"

He smiled when he found _One Punch Man_ and started the anime. "Nope," He looked up at me and scowled, "it's your fault, though."

I started, "What did I do?"

He shrugged and looked back at the TV. "I dunno, but it's always your fault."

"That's an unfair assessment."

"They can't be together in the same room as you."

"What?" My face scrunched.

Danny stole the mug back from me and took a drink. "I don't know, Neens, I'm eight. They growl at each other more and only shut up when I point at you." He met my eyes. "What did you do this time?"

My eyes searched Lobomon, but of course, with the helmet on I might as well hold a conversation with a brick wall. Was it possible Lobomon was -dare I say it- jealous?

I frowned and faced the TV.

"One Punch!" Danny shouted, throwing his fist in the air. His attention stolen by the action of the anime. "Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Saitama is so freaking cool!" Danny jumped up and bounced on his knees as the superhero defeated a huge absurdly muscled mole creature with just one punch.

Lobomon trilled softly, garnering my attention. If I didn't know any better I'd say he seemed puzzled by the way my brother was oohing and aahing over a bald dude in yellow spandex.

I smirked, "Sorry big guy I think you just got demoted."

The hunter snorted as if he wasn't bothered, but I hadn't missed the subtle narrowing of eyes either.

Laughing quietly at his expense, I laid back down and tried to relax. Tried not to think about why Pakkun was missing. And tried to ignore the festering feeling of wrongness in my gut... Needless to say, I failed at all three...

...

Unease roused me from an outrageous dream involving the Xenomorph Queen having tea with _One Punch Man_ and Lobomon. I groaned and rolled up into a sitting position with a wince. The darkness so dense, I might be able to touch it. I blinked several times, encouraging my night vision. Slowly darker splotches took on shape and matter, becoming the TV and the shelf above. I peered around the room, attempting to spot the cause of my unease but realized it wasn't what was here but what wasn't. I reached out and touched the wood floor beside me, confirming the spot was empty.

"Pakkun?" I whispered.

On the opposite side of me, Danny mumbled and rolled away. I waited for him to settle again before getting up. The soles of my feet were still a bit touchy but whatever Pakkun had put on them sped up the healing process drastically. Or at the very least made them less red and painful.

"Lobomon?" I whispered, walking into the kitchen. They weren't here either. The niggling feeling of unease intensified into dread.

 _Where could they have gone?_

I snatched a random pair of pants from the top of the pile and yanked them on over my boy short undies. My favorite zombie pinup girl T-shirt got snagged in the zipper, and I ripped it out, not even caring when I heard it tear.

 _Calm down, Neens. Maybe they're just fixing their ship._

I froze halfway to the door, my heart colliding with my ribcage.

 _If it's repaired and with the Xenomorph threat permanently neutralized... do they have any reason to stay?_

My heart constricted, and my throat closed. I rushed to the door, doing my best to remain quiet as I stuffed my feet into my boots. I glanced at my brother's shadowed outline laying on the mattress and turned away. The door clicking closed quietly behind me.

I jogged down the porch steps, ignoring the little jabs of pain. I could handle it.

Panting, I slid to a stop in the drive, my eyes darting around the darkness.

"Pakkun?" I called desperately. Other than the chirp of the crickets and the deep mating song of the bull frogs I heard nothing else.

I walked further up the drive, "Lobomon?!" I spun around, walking backward as my eyes attempted to pierce the black, dreary woods. "Guys this isn't funny!"

Stumbling, I almost went down on my ass when a large hand caught my elbow. I jerked away and whirled to see both brothers decloak and released a huge breath of relief.

"Well, at least you caught me that time," I snarked.

Pakkun said nothing, just stared at me quietly from behind the blacked out slits in the stupid helmet.

I narrowed my eyes on them, "Where did you two go anyway?"

Silence. Not even the crickets or the frogs had anything to say. I swallowed around the lump building my throat, "Come on you two," I half turned towards the house, "can we please go back inside before my brother wakes up."

They didn't move and the dread knotting my stomach grew teeth, sank them in deep and ripped my insides apart. I knew exactly, why they weren't following me. Subconsciously I think I've always known or at least suspected that they would leave once they'd cleaned up the mess of Xenomorphs. And I'd fallen into the trap of every bad romance heroine who thinks she can tame a man with her magic vajayjay.

True enough, Pakkun felt something for me. Even now his body leaned towards me, he wanted to be near me, but he was restraining himself. And why wouldn't he? Before their accident, they thought of us as nothing more than prey and after thousands, maybe even millions of years of entrenched dogma, I thought I had the power to change that because I had sex with him and forced human emotion on him?

I felt the bitter sting of my answer as the brothers quietly watched me. Taking a breath, I straightened my spine and stared back at them, absolutely refusing to show just how badly I'd been rattled.

"You're leaving us." It was a statement.

Pakkun's head moved, following his brother as Lobomon stood in front of me.

"Sei-i," Lobomon confirmed.

My eyes flicked between the two, then settled on Lobomon. "Tell me," I stared up and into those black pools in his helmet. "What are your names?"

Lobomon rumbled quietly, then fisting his right hand he pounded his chest once and said in a dark gravel voice, "Uzkielle."

"Uzkielle," I repeated softly, committing it to memory.

Uzkielle stepped directly in front of me and crouched, gently he grabbed the back of my skull and leaned down to touch his forehead to mine. "Yeyinde," he rumbled.

"Yeyinde," I swallowed, staring into his mismatched orbs now, "what does that mean?"

"Brave one," he said, straightening to his full height as he did so. He regarded me for a moment longer then turned, and as he walked away he cloaked.

"Goodbye, Uzkielle," I whispered.

Pakkun moved in front of me and knelt down. I spread my fingers over his abdomen, memorizing every contour, every scar, and every well-defined muscle. I avoided his face altogether. I didn't want to ask his name. I didn't want him to tell me and then disappear.

Pakkun grabbed the back of my head and forced me to look up. With his free hand, he fisted it and smacked his chest.

The words shuddered out of me, "What's your name Pakkun?"

The black faded, revealing his beautiful amber orbs. "Osh'ikeille," he said in a deep rumbly hiss.

"Osh'ikeille," I dug my fingers into his chest, memorizing the heavy beat of his heart. "We're family you know," I held his eyes, putting as much meaning behind the words as I could. Willing him to understand. "Do you know what that means?"

He trilled quietly, head cocking to the side.

"It means you're mine to protect. Do you understand? Osh'ikeille, you and Uzkielle are mine to protect. Your family. So you will alway have a place to come back too."

"Family..." He trailed off, leaving me unsure if he'd understood.

"Come here," I motioned him down.

His eyes narrowed, uncertain, but he did as I asked. When his face was almost level with mine, I stretched up on tiptoes and kissed the thick vein in his throat. He stiffened at first but quickly relaxed allowing me to place another kiss in the same spot. For a predator like Osh'ikeille allowing me to touch such a vital point meant he trusted me a great deal.

As much as it pained me to do so, I lowered myself down and slipped my hand free of the mesh.

 _The greatest act of love is letting go- Buddha can suck it!_

Osh'ikeille straightened, then pulled something from his hip and held it out to me. I took it from him, and a tiny gasp escaped me as I realized what I was holding.

"You found it," I breathed, clutching the blade to my chest.

He nodded and rumbled in a way that suggested he was pleased with my reaction. There was no prolonged goodbye, no chance to do all the squishy human things I wanted to do. Osh'ikeille held my eyes for a heartbeat then like his brother he turned away, cloaked and disappeared out of my life.

I stared at the spot he'd been standing, finally allowing the tears to leak from my eyes. But then I thought of how Uzkielle would snort at me and call me "Zabin" and chuckled, wiping my face with the back of my hand.

"Goodbye, Osh'ikeille."

I cradled one of the only pieces of proof I had that they'd been real and walked with heavy strides back to our much emptier house...

* * *

 **A/N:** **The end- kidding! Mwahahahaha, The Pixar Affect.** **We all love and hate Pixar movies. They force us to think, tug at our heart strings until we cry out for mercy- hopefully,** **I've done the same. The sex scene *o*, I've admittedly never written a sex scene to completion so I'm totally at the mercy of all you lovely readers. I know it's not Penthouse & Forum stuff but I enjoyed the hell out of writing it! Truthfully I don't read much romance so I didn't have anything to fall back on. Yes,** **it was a sad chapter but even the best comedies need emotional tear jerkers in order to grow. Hope everyone enjoyed the update! Until next week lovelies! Sorry for mistakes! The editing was a bit rushed. Ugh, up until 4 a.m. with this one XP I need coffee…. P.S. I purposely withheld the meaning behind Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle. Yautja definitions at the bottom.**

 **crocfarmer: Thanx for the love Felix! Hope you don't hate me after this update! And lord, I hope you didn't read it out loud. XD**

 **Shenandoah76209: Lol, I like the last chapters title a lot too. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx :)**

 **XxShadowfangxX: I like Trey too. He might be seen a bit more in the following chapters. Maybe. So happy you like ch. 13. Hope you liked the update. Thanx, Shadow!**

 **KittyKatt25: Definitely worse before it gets better... Thanx, Kitty! :)**

 **Black cross0: Thanx for the compliment. And Nina got her knife back. LMAO did you like the shower scene? Honestly writing sex is so freaking hard. And that was my first finished attempt so hopefully, I didn't disappoint. XP**

 **Haylz93: Oh, there's definitely a kink in Nina's future plans now. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx :)**

 **KTCameleon: Ah, thanx for the love KT. I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter even though it ended on a sad note. Didn't get to the 'nesting part' but there's still the future ;)**

 **angel897: So glad you enjoy my story. Here's hoping you enjoyed the update. Cheers. :)**

 **Tenjp: Ah, thanx for the compliment. So happy you liked the previous chapter even if it was a lil slower. ;)**

 **Guest reviewers: G1~ glad you thought it was cute ;) G2~ I'll write more soon :)**

 **sousie: I haven't decided if I wanna do a chapter in the preds POV. I did it in my other story but it was difficult. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the update.**

 **Cthulhu Queen: Thanx for the love Cthulhu. Btw I love your name XD Hope you enjoyed the update.**

 **Tenfangirl: Ah, your so sweet! Hope I didn't disappoint even if it ended on a sad note :)**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Lol, a little jealousy is a good thing. Thanx for the love Maiden! XD**

 **FFEShadowfoot: And I am thankful to have such an awesome reviewer! Thank you for the love, FFE. Hope it was worth the wait. ;)**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: I'm selfish, I kinda want Nina to have both but the future is still unclear. Hope you enjoyed the update :)**

 **CieloDistante: Lol, glad you got a kick out of the father and husband bit. OMG, I love reading your reviews. You always have so much to say and it makes me incredibly happy. Lol, I mentioned polyandry in the update. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx! XD**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Thanx for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.**

 **09sasha: Ah, your so sweet. I really hope I didn't disappoint! And of course, there's gonna be more story! XD**

 **miu sakurai 73: Wow! Thanx for the love XD**

 **1WhoLoves2ReadAlot: You're awesome too! Thanx! Hope you enjoyed this update too! ;)**

 **Zombiehorde13: OMG now I'm the one on the edge of my seat to find out what you thought of the update! (crosses fingers) Thanx, Zombie! :D**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Thank you for reviewing, Bre!**

 **AxDevilman: I don't think he was unpleased that she lost it but he was pleased to return it to her. Thanx for reviewing! You're awesome! :)**

 **Kay: Gkaun-yte! Try saying that five times fast, lol. I've tried. I'm not even sure I'm saying it right, to begin with. Oh, lord, I don't mean to be cruel but I really wanted to write this chapter and I'm holding my breath to read your thoughts! I had so much to cover in it! XP Thank you, Kay. My chi'ytei!**

 **SuiRozen: Ah, I'm so glad you liked it. I love Danny too! I update every Thursday. Hope you enjoyed Ch 14!**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Ah, thanx for the compliment! Glad I can make you laugh even in the down time. OMG, I'm on the edge of my seat to read your thoughts on this chapter! So nervous! Thanx, Luna :D**

 **vivi963: Glad you found my story interesting. Hope you enjoyed the update. Thank, you. :)**

* * *

 **Yautja definitions~**

 **Sei-i: Yes**

 **Zabin: Insect**

 **Yeyinde: Brave One**


	15. Chapter 15

**Lucy You Got Some Splanin To Do**

"Danny," I breathed, voice soft and pleading. Danny didn't look up at me, his head down, forehead kissing the table, his snarl of red locks fanned over his forearms, walling me off. I knelt down beside his chair, catching a glimpse of his profile before he turned away and buried his face in the bend of his opposite elbow. But I didn't miss his ruddy cheeks or red-rimmed eyes. He'd been crying again, and my heart squeezed in sympathy, echoing his pain. I felt it too, but if I started to cry then I was afraid the tears would never stop, and I couldn't put Danny through that.

"Danny," I rubbed his back, and the kid stiffened, pulling away as much as he could. "Danny, it's been three days." I ran my fingers through his hair. "Please talk to me."

I heard him sniffle, his head subtly moving back and forth as he wiped his nose on his arm but he said nothing and continued to stonewall me. The kid had turned into a mute. I'd expected tears and yelling, and there was plenty of that on the morning he woke up and learned Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle had left, but then he'd gone catatonic, and I didn't know how to deal with this version of Danny. The one and only time I'd ever seen him get like this, was after our daddy died and mom went awol. Danny hadn't talked for weeks, became reclusive, and despondent. He'd been almost four at the time, and kids are nothing if not resilient, and eventually he bounced back. But Danny was eight now, still a kid, still resilient, but the abandonment he felt was hitting so much harder. I was worried this would destroy his ability to trust or build healthy bonds ever again.

 _Dad, what am I supposed to do?_

TicTac popped out of the back of Danny's shirt with a curious chitter. The albino ferret climbed through Danny's hair and squeezed between Danny's face and elbow, disappearing again.

 _Maybe I should get him a dog?_

 _Lordy_ , we didn't need another mouth to feed, but I was desperate enough to do anything to distract Danny. The kid had a Dr. Dolittle way with animals. It wouldn't replace the brothers, not by a long shot, but I knew Danny would put his heart and soul into taking care of it and maybe at the same time it would help with the bitter sting of loss.

I stood. "Come on, Danny. Get up."

No response.

I blew out a breath and walked into the living room, grabbed Lucy, and returned to the kitchen table. I set the heavy Xenomorph skull down in front of him. Decked out in a mop of strawberry curls -courtesy of a doll's head I'd found and scalped in the attic- and long, feathery false eyelashes taped above stick-on googly eyes the Xenomorph skull aka Lucy, looked hideously ridiculous but way less scary.

"Don't make me do the voice," I mock threatened.

He didn't twitch.

I crouched again, putting myself at eye level with him and the macabre Lucy. "We both know I'm bad at it." Again I got nothing. The kid's vow of silence was something a monk would revere. "That's it!" Adding a nasally whine to my voice, I said, "Why you do this to me, Danny? _Waaaah_ _!_ "

His bitter emerald orbs peeked out over his forearms and through his mess of hair.

" _Ugggh,_ " I mimicked Lucy's signature grimace, crossing my eyes, curling my lips and everything.

"You're annoying," he muttered. Lifting his head up a little more, revealing a scowl. His ruddy cheeks made the emerald of his irises striking, and the anger swirling within them was equal to a category four hurricane.

I sighed, and dropped the act, "Danny..."

A leaden knock at the door had my words trailing off. We both looked towards it. Danny curious. Me bristling.

 _Who the hell could that be?_

There was a pause. Then the knocking continued, only heavier this time. Tictac popped out of the front of Danny's shirt, his little nose twitching, then he hissed and scurried back down.

"Stay here," I warned. Danny rolled his eyes and laid his cheek on his forearms.

Muttering a string death curses, hoping the idiot at the door would spontaneously combust, I stalked through the living room and swung the door open without thinking first.

"What?" I growled by way of greeting. The man at the door paused, his hand held up mid-knock. While my face gave nothing away, in fact, it twisted into an even tighter snarl, the blood in my veins turned to ice upon recognizing the MIB wannabe at my door.

Mr. Stevens lowered his hand, one dark brow slowly arching in bemusement. The raised brow immediately dropped down to join the other in a shrewd frown when his sharp blue eyes took in the thick scars on my shoulder.

"How did you do it?" He asked abruptly, his eyes snapping back to mine.

I frowned, "Do what?" My gaze flicked behind him, but I didn't see any of his entourage. There was only one black Escalade parked behind my truck, but even with the severely tinted windows that bordered on paranoid, I didn't think anyone else was inside it. I raised an incredulous brow, "You came alone?"

"I'm here of my own volition," he said tersely, clearly tired and unhappy. "Though we have no conclusive answers for what has taken place here, or what the anomaly our satellites detected, The Company rescinded my orders." He smirked, "That's the official response."

"And the unofficial?"

He took a step closer, his eyes managing to be penetrating and vacant at the same time. "The Company doesn't waste resources on fruitless endeavors, Nina. What we sought here, what we came hoping to discover has somehow unexplainably disappeared. And as much as the idea baffles me, I think you're the only person who knows what happened."

"What is it exactly do you think I know?" I growled, searching his face. This careful two-step around the word 'aliens' was getting on my nerves. If he wanted to keep treating me like some backwater hick then I would reciprocate in the same manner and play dumb.

A smile flashed across his face, the kind that mimicked a hungry shark. The first time we met, I'd assumed he'd risen through the ranks with strings pulled and payoffs, but I think that was an unfair assessment. Mr. Stevens was perceptive and cut throat, and he'd read my thoughts as if they'd scrolled across my irises like a teleprompter.

"The Xenomorphs, Nina, what happened to them?"

"Which are what exactly?"

He snorted, and he stared at me with something akin to appreciation. Maybe even respect. "Aliens, Nina, but you already knew that didn't you?"

It was my turn to snort, "Do I look like Sigourney Weaver to you?" The name of the alien horror movie escaped me, something about giant space otters I think, but then again The Company man hadn't gotten the _Independence Day_ reference either. How do you become an alien hunter without loving the classics?

 _Maybe he had a close encounter of his own... of the anal probe kind._

"Also," I continued in an accusing tone, "hoping?" I hadn't missed that key phrasing.

He smirked, "Discovering alien life is part of The Company's mission in building better worlds."

 _Worlds?_

"And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow," I said fiercely. Shivering at the memory of the queen, the barn, and how Mr. McAlister's chest had been ripped open. The Company may have sent Mr. Stevens and his goon squad to defend our little corner of Southern Louisiana, but I was betting live capture went along with that 'building better worlds' slogan.

He raised a brow, "Ecclesiastes?"

"No. _Renaissance Man._ "

The skin at the corners of his eyes tightened, "You're really not going to tell me are you?"

"What could I have done?" It was an honest question. At the very least he'd seen a Xenomorph or had a decent grasp on what they are, so in all honesty, the idea of a human surviving an encounter with one of these deadly creatures seemed far fetched.

Mr. Stevens seemed inclined to agree, except that his eyes kept stealing glances at my healing shoulder. "At least tell me this-" His face deadpanned, and he fixed those sharp blues on my carefully schooled emerald orbs. "-is it over?"

"If it wasn't, do you really think we would be having this highly speculative conversation?"

"No," he yielded with a sigh. He half turned away and stepped out of my personal space. "I suppose not." The destroyed yard caught his attention, and the dissatisfaction was evident in his tone, "Take care, Nina."

My brows furrowed, coming from anyone else the phrase "take care" would be friendly. Coming from Mr. Stevens, it sounded more like a veiled threat and the parting glance he shot me was anything but friendly.

I followed his back with my eyes until he climbed into the Escalade, then waited until the vehicle was out of sight before closing the door. Mr. Stevens orders may have been rescinded, but I wondered if this was truly the last I'd see of him or The Company.

In the kitchen, I found Danny where I'd left him. Head still down. Face still buried in his forearms. The Company man's visit had put me on edge, and I sighed in frustration, stifling the urge to shake my brother.

"Danny, come on."

He didn't move, and I was at my limit. I walked over to him, and the boy tensed when I placed my hands on his shoulders. He slightly tilted his head, one eye peeking up at me from beneath his hair. I smiled evilly, leaned down and started smothering him with big, wet, noisy kisses. Best way to make any kid move, make him wanna vomit.

"Nina!" He cried, his small hands pushing against me as he squirmed. Tictac squeaked in annoyance and hastily climbed out of Danny's shirt.

I found one ruddy cheek and made sure the kiss sounded as obnoxious as possible before my lips released him with an audible smack. "Get up."

He scowled up at me, face red, "I hate you! You're such a Mononoke!"

The word stung like a physical blow, and I flinched. We've fought many times, been in heated arguments, slammed doors in each others' faces, but Danny has never once used that word.

Danny blinked, looking uncertain as if he hadn't meant to say it and turned his face away stubbornly.

"Do you think I wanted this to happen?" I said quietly. "I didn't want them to leave, Danny."

He swallowed, and his shimmering emerald orbs widened upon meeting mine. I yanked a chair out from the table and collapsed into it, burying my face in my hands in an attempt to hide the leak my eyes had sprung. I didn't want to cry in front of my brother. I was supposed to be his rock, but damn it where was mine?

"I didn't want them to leave either," I repeated, my voice breathy and unchecked. I clenched my teeth until my jaw ached and fought the waves of resentment, pain, and anger. Despite our physical and cultural differences, I'd seen passed all that and fell for Osh'ikeille on a level I hadn't predicted, and even more disconcerting was the fact that I'd started to care for Uzkielle the same way.

Small fingers tentatively spread through my hair, and I stiffened. Danny hugged me, and I grabbed him feeling utterly pathetic as I bawled into his small chest but I couldn't find the strength to pull away. My brother surprised me by rubbing circles on my back and quietly holding me. We'd switched roles, and I loved my brother even more for giving me this single moment to just grieve. For several minutes Danny simply allowed me to cry, remaining silent until I quieted.

"Nina," he cleared his throat, "I'm sorry."

I sniffled and straightened, wiping my face with the back of my hand. "It's okay, Danny. I understand why you're upset." Encircling his slim wrists with my fingers, I held them firmly and raised my head to meet his eyes. "Danny, I swear if I thought for one second I could've stopped them I would have."

He bit his lower lip, chewing on it, and looked anywhere but my face. The kid needed someone to blame. Otherwise, he'd pin the blame on himself, which in the mind of any eight-year-old is a logical conclusion. If someone they love leaves, they automatically believe it's something they did or didn't do.

His emotions were on a warpath dragging him down into a dark pit. Luckily I had our daddy's military grade flashlight and even some grappling gear. I had to fix this. Danny without a smile would be milk without chocolate which was the whole reason for milk's existence from both of our perspectives.

I tugged his wrists playfully, "You know Danny, maybe they left because some other idiot crashed and more bug aliens got loose. Or perhaps the mothership called them back." I mock shuddered, "The two of them were a pain in the butt, I can't imagine an entire ship of them. I think it'd be kind of like the movie _300_ with aliens and the Xenomorph Queen would be _Xerxes_."

He frowned and shot me a dubious look from the corner of his eye.

"And seriously?!" my tone sarcastic and airy. "I bet Lobomon was driving when they crashed. The big dummy probably saw a comet and decided to race it. The fridiot should have his license revoked."

Danny's lips twitched, but he bit down on the smile threatening to peek out. He pulled one of his hands free of mine and clasped the Xenomorph fang hanging from a leather strap tied around his neck. One of the brothers or maybe both of them had left the fang beneath his pillow like an ass-backwards gift from a freaking demented tooth fairy. But in their own, bizarre way, it proved that they cared for my baby brother.

"Hey," I said sobering, running my fingers through his soft red hair and gently working the tangles loose. "Soot Sprite, honestly we may never know why they left-" He stiffened. "-but what I do know for sure is that it wasn't our fault. Given their crabby nature and short tempers, do you think they would've stuck around if they didn't like us?" He sniffed and subtly shook his head, eyes still avoiding mine. "No, they wouldn't have," my voice quiet but firm.

The whites of his eyes were pink from crying, and unshed tears glistened as he met my gaze. "Do you think..." He trailed off, his throat working around the emotion clogging it. "Do you think i-if I stop crying and be good," his jaw flexed, "that they'll come back?"

My eyes softened, and I fought down the instinctual urge to grab him and tell him anything he wanted to hear to make the pain go away. "I don't know Danny," I whispered honestly. The boy wilted, and I grabbed his hands and held on. "But I don't think they'd want us to cry over them. Do you?"

Danny thought about it for a moment, his jaw working and brow furrowing. "No," he said finally with a heavy sigh. "Pakkun would huff in annoyance and make me wanna be tough like him." A tiny smile edged his lips. "And Lobomon would call you zabin," he said with a snort.

I rolled my eyes and huffed, "Yes he would. The jerk. I still don't know what that means." Danny bit his lip and my gaze narrowed in suspicion. "You know what it means don't you?"

He shook his head vehemently, but there was a spark of mischief in his eyes now.

"Danny," I deepened my voice and attempted to embody Ricky Ricardo, "you got some splanin' to do!"

Danny snorted while trying very hard to keep from laughing. Smiling impishly, I grabbed the morbid Lucy and held her up. "Splan' yourself to Lucy!"

Danny stepped back, unable to bite back a giggle this time. I got up and started following him as he slowly started to retreat. "You splan' it! You splan' it to Lucy, Danny!"

"No!" He said breathily between giggles.

"Splan' it! Splan' it! Splan' it!" I said with mock anger.

"Never!"

He darted out of the kitchen, and Lucy and I gave chase. Danny giggled as he ran, and I laughed too, all the while shouting at him to splan'.

...

"Where are we going?" Danny asked, glancing up at me from the small seat in the middle of the truck. He squirmed, his shoulder rubbing against my arm. I hadn't fixed the passenger side door yet. The hinges were a twisted, broken mess that would have to be completely replaced. So to keep some of the weather out, I'd used a tarp, bungee cords, and a whole roll of duct tape to give the Bronco a classy redneck dress up. Hey, it wasn't pretty, and it was noisy as hell, but it worked.

"You'll see," I said in an obnoxious sing-song voice all parents use thinking it'll fool their kids. It doesn't. Danny rolled his eyes and went back to staring out the window while munching on the french fries we'd grabbed from McD's. It made the cabin smell delicious, and I stole a few from the grease soaked bag my brother held. He huffed and shot me an unamused pout. I smiled serenely with a fry sticking out of my teeth. He shook his head and proceeded to ignore me.

...

"Why are we here?" Danny blinked up at me, his face scrunched in confusion.

 _Because I'm a glutton for punishment._

I parked the Bronco and cut the engine. Absently I picked at invisible threads on the steering wheel and peeked at him in my periphery. "We don't have to go in if you don't want too," I said feigning indifference. "After all it is almost your half birthday." We've never celebrated half birthdays, but any excuse was better than 'I feel guilty as shit and will do anything to make to you smile'. Like the kid needed to know he had that kind of power over me. Maybe I should've picked up a parenting book- nah. Those only end up in the crapper anyways.

"Really," Danny asked, skepticism gushing from his tone. I could see the excitement behind his eyes now, carefully controlled, but it was there.

I smirked, "Really. Really."

My eyes widened as he threw himself at me and my shoulders connected with driver side door.

"Really?!" He asked again, his voice louder and excited.

I laughed, "Yes, but only if you promise to take care-"

"I will! I will! I will! I promise!" He said emphatically, giving me a fervent nod that mimicked Osh'ikeille to a T. He even calmed, and controlled his voice, "I will."

I snorted and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright."

Together we headed inside, and I carefully watched my brother's expression. The excitement dimmed somewhat by the time we reached the door, and I had no doubt his mind had wandered back to the twins, back to why they left. This wouldn't fix the hurt, but it might go a long way in healing it...

"What about this one?" I asked, pointing to a small wire fox terrier mix. The card clipped to the cage said her name was Pepper and that she was three years old, full of puppy energy and love. I loved the fact that she was cute and pint-sized meaning she probably didn't eat a lot.

Danny shrugged and wiggled his fingers at her through the cage. Pepper yipped happily, coating his fingers in doggie kisses.

 _Sure my kisses make him wanna barf, but it's okay if a dog bathes him with its tongue._

Danny's face had lost its excited luster. He didn't look all that happy, and he pulled away from Pepper and moved on to the next cage. Now that I thought about it, the atmosphere was kinda depressing in here. To many cages, too many dogs in desperate need of a home. It smelled like stale urine, antiseptic, and misery.

 _Good job, Neens._

I should've come alone, picked one out then pretended I found it on my way home.

"Now that one's about to have puppies." A caretaker stopped sweeping to talk to Danny. "But there's already a litter of puppies in the one behind ya'."

Danny turned and glanced in the cage. I walked over, and the caretaker noticed me and smiled. "Hello, miss," he tipped an invisible hat. And I found his craggy face and wispy gray hair charming. "Names' Dwain, and you?"

"Nina." I tapped my brother's foot with the toe of my boot.

"Danny," he mumbled without looking at either one of us as he got up and continued further down.

Dwain's features softened, noticing the sad look I shot my brother. "Kid need a friend?"

I nodded.

"What was it? A pet? Or a loved one?"

I blinked in surprise by his ability to hone in Danny's forlorn state of mind.

He laughed at my expression, "I've seen my fair share of kids come in here with the same look. So which was it, if you don't mind my pryin'?"

"He lost- er we lost a couple family members."

"That's rough," he said with a sympathetic frown.

"Nina?" Danny called.

I stepped to the side to look around Dwain and found Danny standing in front of a cage at the far end. Dwain turned to look as well, and as I walked passed him, I noticed his frown deepening.

"What is it Da- _jeeesus_!" I literally jumped away from the cage. There was a freaking polar bear inside it! Okay, not really, but holy crap! I stared at the beast beyond the bars. It was huge! Forget polar bear, think Yeti with wolfish bone structure. Oh-my-god it's a freaking werewolf! The dog -If you can call it that!- was the purest white of snow, with its left eye scarred shut and the other a blue so icy I shivered.

The card clipped to the cage said breed unknown. The dog was male, four years of age, and the caretakers had dubbed him 'Geezer' because of his quiet and aloof nature. It said he wasn't unfriendly just that he needed a family who was patient, devoted and would give him ample time to adjust. It also recommended he be the only dog in the house.

Danny pressed himself against the cage, and I grabbed his shoulders firmly. He tilted his head up, and I looked down and saw his eyes glittering with my doom. "Baymax," he said with zeal.

I groaned. Other than being big and white; the dog in no way resembled the buoyant, huggable, marshmallow from _Big Hero Six_ , but I knew the moment Danny named him my fate was sealed.

 _Heaven help me. Why do I love this kid so damn much?_

"Nina?" Danny's eyes were sad again, and he pointed to the card and strained up on his tiptoes to show me a tiny box in the corner of the card with a red check slashed through it. The dog was scheduled to be destroyed. "Nina, he needs us."

 _Oh, yeah. That's why._

I smiled softly. The kid never ceased to surprise me with how big his heart was. He'd walked passed countless cute, happy-go-lucky puppies and dogs, and found the one misfit who actually _needed_ him.

"Alright," I said resigned to my fate.

Danny brightened instantly and glanced back at the dog. "Baymax! Do you wanna come home with us?"

The werewolf got up from his seated position and slowly stalked towards the front of the cage. My hands flexed on my brother's shoulders, but the kid wasn't even the least bit concerned. Danny reached his slim hand between the thick wires.

"Danny no-"

The werewolf, who stood almost as tall as my brother, lowered his head and gently pressed his scarred nose to Danny's fingers. He didn't lick or wag his tail, but he closed his good eye and allowed Danny to scratch the bridge of his enormous muzzle.

"Well I'll be damned," Dwain said as he sidled up to us. "Geezer never comes to anyone. Then again most folks aren't brave enough to get close to his cage."

"The card says his breed is unknown. So where did he come from then?" I asked. I wanted to have a little background on the dog before taking him home.

Dwain snorted, "You ever see that TV show- er what's it called... something throne?"

" _Game of Thrones_?"

"Yup, that's the one." He frowned, shaking his head, "When you work in places like this you cringe at every new show or movie involving animals because you can always count on an influx of unwanted pets. When that show came out, everyone suddenly wanted a dire wolf and where there's a demand there's always a supplier. Breeders cross bred Irish wolfhounds with Akita's, and many other breeds to get close. Of course, once most people get their dream puppy they quickly realize they know nothing about it or how to take care of it and get pissed when it doesn't act like the one in the show." He nodded towards the big white dog. "Geezer here is one of many who got the rotten end of the deal."

"That's terrible," I said with feeling.

He shrugged, "It happens all the time. When the Ninja Turtles came out, I was up to my eyeballs in unwanted box turtles."

I shook my head and glanced back at the big dog feeling angry at his mistreatment.

"Nina, can we take Baymax home now?"

I stared at Baymax's lone blue orb and nodded. "Yes, Danny. Let's take him home."

The paperwork didn't take long, but my wallet wept as I forked over seventy-five bucks. I'd worked the last two nights, covering for a waitress at a local bar but the tips hadn't been great. Our shoestring budget was more of thread at the moment, but maybe Baymax could give pony rides.

The giant dog lay in the bed of the Bronco. Dwain had offered to sell us a crate for another fifty but the dog had jumped in the back without a fuss and immediately laid down as if he knew he was going home. My eyes were constantly on the rearview but the dog never even sat up, just stretched out his paws and shut his eye.

My gaze went back to the road, mind wandering back to what Dwain had said about the mix breeding. I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me until just now -probably something to do with seeing all of those puppies- but I frowned as my brain began to conjure up half human, half crab-faced alien babies. I shivered, then laughed at the thought. Danny gave me a quizzical look, and I shook my head.

Inwardly, I sighed at myself and mulled the idea over. It was a scary thought. Women went through pregnancy and raised babies alone every day, which was fucking tough, and they all deserved a damn medal but if that baby were a half breed of a barely understood alien race? Yeesh.

The worry came and went, though. If Pakkun were human, I'd be freaking the fuck out but he isn't, and I doubted our chromosomes or whatever even matched up enough to create viable offspring. If it were that simple, we'd have pigs with wings and cats with gills. So why would it be any different for a human and an alien?

Absently my hand went to my stomach. Of course, it never hurt to make sure.

 _Bag it before taggn' it, Neens._ I silently mused, then thought of that ridiculous hefty bag commercial. _Hefty! Hefty! Hefty! Wimpy! Wimpy! Wimpy!_ I laughed out loud, and my brother proceeded to recoil away from me like I was insane.

...

In our driveway sat a familiar tan and blue Jeep, its tires and doors caked in mud with an annoyed black Adonis leaning against her. Trey looked up as I parked, wiping uselessly at the swamp muck covering him from boot to knee.

"You live in Louisiana, and you seriously don't keep coveralls in your Jeep?" I tisked, walking around the front of the Bronco.

Trey scowled, "I let the Medical Examiner borrow mine because she forgot to restock hers."

Danny came from behind the truck, Baymax on his leash quietly walked beside him. Trey's head snapped up, noticing the dog and his eyes rounded comically. "Shit!" He recovered but kept a wary eye on the huge canine. "Allowing Danny to bring home werewolves now?"

 _Ha! I'm not the only one!_

"His name is Baymax," Danny said flatly. He scratched behind one pointy ear and gently tugged the leash. The dog stood up and followed Danny, giving Trey a cursory sniff as he passed.

"Hey," Trey's brow furrowed, noticing Danny's uncharacteristic, withdrawn behavior, "what's up, little man?"

Danny didn't say anything, and Trey and I watched the boy and Baymax disappear into the house.

"What happened?" Trey asked, concern tightening the corners of his eyes.

I sighed and sagged against the Bronco. "We're both going through a breakup right now."

His already furrowed brow deepened, "Things with you and the boyfriend didn't work out?"

I nodded.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," I said feeling drained.

"Well, shit." He ran a hand over his shaven head and scratched the back of his neck. "It sucks things didn't work out- especially now. Which kinda makes me happy you got a dog."

I frowned, "What are you talking about?"

Trey exhaled and closed the distance in two long strides. "I don't want to alarm you, Nina, but I do want you to be careful." He grabbed my arms gently and schooled his features, giving me the cop face. "This morning I got called to a homicide." The muscle in his jaw jumped and his fingers flexed, digging into my skin now. "Nina, it was Mrs. Finch."

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you guys remember who Mrs. Finch is. XP This story ain't over yet guys! So much to do, so many hunts, so much to love! Lmao you guys are so freaking amazing. The reviews for chapter 14 had me laughing, teary eyed, and warm all the way to my toes. You guys give me so much confidence, and I am so happy to have all of you along for the journey of this story. I love my readers! You're all my muses ;) Thank you! Hope everyone enjoyed and sorry for mistakes. Also as an avid fan of the franchises I have to recommend the book The Complete Aliens VS Predator Omnibus which has the original three novels (Prey, Hunter's Planet, and War) based off of the first Alien vs Predator comic books. I read this series years ago and they were just republished into an omnibus, so I am rereading it because it's awesome! Reminders: Osh'ikeille is Pakkun, Uzkielle is Lobomon. **

**P.S. There's so many of you awesome reviewers that I'm gonna have to try and condense responses. But I will always answer questions (so long as they give nothing away) and thank you guys. XD**

 **Shenandoah76209: Lol did you like my disguise for the Xeno skull? Danny was definitely heartbroken, but so was Nina. Poor girl. Anyway thanx for the love XD**

 **crocfarmer: Lmao I'm so sorry you started to read the smut scene out loud. I was gonna put a warning at the top but then I didn't want to give it away. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the update even though it's short ;)**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Oh there's definitely more ;) Thanx for the love**

 **Haylz93: Ah, thanx for the compliment! I love that I can keep you guessing and enthralled! Hehe, wish I had a time machine too. Hope you enjoyed the update! XD**

 **angel897: Thanx, angel! So happy you enjoyed it. Hope to keep you guessing and excited! XD**

 **vivi936: Lol, wish I'd thought of 'ohana' that would've been cute. It was definitely bittersweet. Hope you enjoyed the update. Thanx, vivi :)**

 **Black cross0: Lmao your magnificent too. I'm very pleased you enjoyed it. Also, I've got the next few chapters planned out but thank you for the advice. It gives me more to think about. Thanx, for the love Cross ;)**

 **phsycopredgirlouttahercage: Lol, first off your name is awesome! Also, of course, there's more ;D Thanx!**

 **flor da aurora: It would've been a good ending but I've got more ;) Thanx, RJ**

 **09sasha: XD More to come, my friend! Lol, thanx Sasha**

 **Rasha007: 'Hit it and quit'- nope definitely not cool. Thanx for the compliment, though! :)**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: Lol, most of the future is still a mystery even to me. Thanx for the compliment and the love Emperor ;)**

 **XxShadowfangxX: Danny's definitely unhappy but then so is Nina. Sadness. Glad you enjoyed, though. :)**

 **hellfire45: I don't it would be possible for a human and Yautja to have a baby but this is fanfiction ;) Thanx**

 **sousie: Glad you enjoyed it. Thanx so much for the love XD**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Lol, it ain't over. Thank you! :)**

 **FFEShadowfoot: Ah, you're so sweet (blushes). Lol, that kitchen scene was so vivid in my head I kept laughing long after I wrote it. Reading your responses is the best part of any day! Thanx, Shadow XD**

 **Atlafan1286: I frickin' love that you love it! Thanx for the compliment and the love! ;)**

 **Tenfangirl: I didn't envy Nina's talk with her brother either XP Lol, no sneak peeks. Thanx so much :D**

 **crystalga: Lol, I'll pass your demand along. So glad I can surprise you! Thanx, crystalga! :)**

 **KTCameleon: Lol, it did happen. I love that I can leave you speechless! Thanx, KT :D**

 **CieloDistante: I don't think reproduction between a human and a Yautja is possible but this is fanfiction and I reveal nothing about the future, lol. ;) Your flying hearts was so cute. It made me happy! Thank you ;D**

 **Kay: (Falls off chair laughing!) Ah! No! Her heart! Quick nurse hand me another chapter stat! Lol. Omg, yes the preds would love a chance to collect a T-rex trophy! Haha! 100 pts for the smut scene! Ah, you're so kind. Lol, theres still plenty of story. And eventually, I will reveal the meaning of their names. Thanx for the love my Chi'ytei XD**

 **1WhoLoves2ReadAlot: Ah, thank you! You're awesome! :)**

 **MonaTheGreat: Ah, thanx for the compliment. Your review made me so happy! I'm so glad I can surprise, enthrall, roll your eyes, grin salaciously, make you sad, and make you happy XD**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Thank you so much maiden. Glad you enjoyed it :)**

 **kimah36: Ah, well thank you. (Smiles happily) :) The smut scene was tough but I'm pleased with how it turned out.**

 **KittyKatt25: Ah! I sorry! But I promise it's not over! Thanx, Kitty ;)**

 **Evilservant1094: It's not over ;) Thank you for the love!**

 **xXWhoWantsToKnowXx: The future is uncertain even to me ;) But there's still plenty to come. Thank you ;)**

 **Ash6751: Ah, thanx for the compliment. Your review filled my chest with warm fuzzies! I will continue. XD**

 **Guest reviewer: Thank you ;)**

 **Loomiechu: Lol, I reveal no sneak peeks ;) I loved your review so much! Thank you XD**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Lol, I think the preds would love a chance to collect a T-rex skull. Oh, no! I feel bad for your preds if I made their lives difficult! But thanx for the love and the compliment! ;)**

 **DiamondDi: Lol, sorry my friend it had to be done. But cheer up, it's not over. ;)**

 **Zombiehorde13: Lol, so glad I can surprise you. Thanks for the compliment and the love! :)**

 **MidnightDragon0213: '... the greatest fuck this side of the milky way...' OMG I loved that! Also, if you're not aware I update on Thursdays. Thank you so much! XD**

 **musa22lbl: I'm glad you like it. Thank you :)**

 **jewels369: Wow, you're amazing too! Thanx for the love! It's not the end :) Updates are Thursdays.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Knock Knock You About To Get Shell Shocked**

 **Fair Game**

Beyond Earth's outer rim hidden on the dark side of the moon, a vessel lies in wait. Its sole occupant a Yautja warrior by many names; a seasoned hunter, whose bloodlust has no equal, and would not be sated by a mere hunt. The ones who stole his honor forced him out of the clan and marked him as a BadBlood warranted nothing less than merciless revenge. And the hunter would start with new prey... interesting prey... prey that would bring his two enemies running if he were to rip her spinal column from its fleshy housing while breath remained in her lungs, bathe in her blood and take her skull as a trophy... after all they'd abandoned her, making the little ooman female fair game...

...

"Stupid," I growled crossly. "But Nina we have to get stronger," I said mimicking my brother's voice in a hushed, condescending tone. Everything hurt, and I bit back a string of profanities that would make a Navy Seal blanch as I hauled myself on top of the Bronco's hood. Over the course of several weeks, with the help of Baymax and my super awesome big sisterly powers- okay, it was all Baymax, Danny began smiling again. Not his infectious megawatt smile that had the tendency to blind and daze those who looked upon it, but a smile nonetheless. Anyway, back to why everything -including muscles in my ass I didn't know existed- hurt! My brother, bain of my exist- I mean love of my fucking life came to the conclusion the following day after bringing home the werewolf that we should, and I quote 'be like Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle'. Hunters. My brother wanted us to become hunters. Convinced that one day the Devil's rejects would return to us and that we should be ready.

So what did I do? I agreed to make him happy, and now I was in hell. I'm not lazy. I work hard but damn it, what I wouldn't give to trade lives with a barnacle for a day and be sedentary. Hell, five minutes, just give me five little minutes, please!

Sighing, I carefully crouched on the hood, cringing as the metal whined. The roof of our house slopes down pretty far, and when I park the Bronco close enough to the garage, it becomes a ladder. I stood up, and I could hear my daddy in the back of my mind berating me for the mistreatment of his baby. The Bronco, not me.

I spotted my brother, sitting in his usual spot, his focus on the stars as he peered through the ancient telescope I'd found tucked away in an old trunk in the attic. Baymax laid in front of the boy, almost as if he'd strategically placed himself as a cautionary rail in case my brother fell. The roof wasn't steep, but I found the werewolf's mother henning to be hilarious. The two were practically joined at the hip, one never straying far from the other. It was cute. And I met Baymax's lone blue orb which had settled on me and hoped he perceived the gratitude I sent his way. He held my gaze for a second then closed his good eye and relaxed his grizzly-sized muzzle on his paws.

"I can hear you coming a mile away," Danny muttered, without pulling himself away from the telescope.

I scowled, "I have to play ninja even when we're not training?" My brows furrowed, "And by the way, I am permanently banning Naruto, TMNT, and anything else you're getting these ideas from- and stop putting freakin' bubble wrap on the stairs! I almost pissed myself last night when I got up to go pee!"

Danny finally sat back, his head tilted in my direction. It was dark enough that I couldn't read his eyes, but the shadows seemed to accentuate the seriousness of his frown. "A hunter is alway vigilant, Nina."

I rolled my eyes and heaved myself up onto the roof, the rough shingles scraping my thighs. The grit bit into my palms and knees as I crawled over to him. I patted Baymax on the head then sat on the blanket my brother had laid out.

A dry bundle of sage rested in a dish on the opposite side of Danny, perfuming the air with lazy spirals of smoke as it burned. We're not pagans, though, in Louisiana, you learn a thing or two about magic. August summers in the South are hell. The wet heat so thick you were sweating balls the moment you stepped outside your home. The late summer also brought with it legions of bloodsuckers, the majority of whom do not enjoy the smell of sage.

Stretching, I laid back on the blanket and stared up at the moon, tracing its fullness with outstretched fingers. Imagining it was a damn sugar cookie and wishing that I could eat it. My lids grew heavy, lulled by the scent of the sage and the sound of the fussy crickets arguing with the cicadas. I dropped my arm and yawned, my thoughts wandering back to the brothers. They'd been gone for a month and the moments we'd shared felt like a lifetime ago, yet the pain was as fresh as a ripped off band-aid.

My cell phone buzzed against my butt cheek, and I quickly fished it out of my back pocket, already knowing who it would be. Trey's name flashed across the screen, and I hit ignore, dropping the phone beside me with a sigh.

"He's been calling you a lot lately," Danny said, frowning down at the phone. His lips pressed into a hard frown, eyes flicking to me suspiciously. "You're not dating him are you?" The frown deepened, "Pakkun and Lobomon will come back."

I stared up at my brother, wondering how he could feel such conviction. I sure as hell didn't feel the same way or at least I didn't want too. Hard truths are painful, but hope can be paralyzing. I'd much rather accept the pain of loss than go on hoping that they might return. Though, in all honesty, the thought of being with anyone else hadn't even crossed my mind. And now that it had I cringed away at the notion. Damn, I really did have it bad. So much for not holding a candle of hope. Stupid, Nina. Very, stupid.

"No, Danny," I reached up and playfully tugged a lock of his hair. It was getting long. I'd need to cut it before the school year started at the end of the month.

"Then why does he keep calling you? And showing up at the house?"

I frowned, "I thought you liked, Trey?"

"I do," he brushed my hand away, "but Pakkun likes you and you like Pakkun. Don't you?"

I sighed, "Of course, I do Danny, but Pakkun's not here."

"He'll come back," his eyes flicked up to the stars. "They'll both come back. They have too..." His voice trailed off.

My eyes studied the firm set of his jaw and the harsh lines of emotion puckering his brow. Danny was stubborn, and I wondered just how long it would take for him to get passed this. I shook my head, angry at Osh'ekeille and Uzkielle all over again.

My phone buzzed again, this time with a text and I grabbed it before my brother could read it.

 **Trey:** 'Woman! Answer your damn phone!'

I snorted and considered not responding then figured if I didn't, he'd drive out here.

 **Me:** 'We're fine Trey. House is always locked. And we have Baymax, who I've decided is a werewolf, not a dog. It's been weeks Trey, I'm sure Mr. Finch is sittin' pretty on an island somewhere with a mojito.'

 **Trey:** 'You're probably right but humor me for awhile longer.'

 **Me:** XP

 **Trey:** 'Ass.'

Chuckling softly, I set the phone aside and stared up without really seeing much of anything as my thoughts inevitably turned to Mr. Finch aka Dante. Back in July, I'd agreed to play a honeypot for one of Trey's clients, Mrs. Finch, who ended up murdered only days after she'd received the photos of her husband doing his best to get into my pants.

Mrs. Finch had been savagely stabbed thirty-six times, her body left in the marsh behind her home. Trey searched the house top to bottom, but the photos were never recovered, leading him to believe Mr. Finch had taken them. Meaning a maniac who thinks he's a vampire is running around with pictures of me. Peachy.

I absently touched the tiny fang scars on my neck, remembering the moment the bastard bit me. Crazy, mother fucker. The knife Osh'ikeille had gifted me pressed reassuringly into my back. I'd adjusted the sheath and the slim blade fit comfortable along the curve of my spine. Completely undetectable to the naked eye, unless I was wearing something ridiculously tight.

Danny wasn't aware of Mr. Finch. The kid had so much on his mind, I didn't want him to worry about this too. Though in truth, I wasn't sure there was anything to worry about. Hanging around weeks after you killed your wife seemed like an idiotic idea. Mr. Finch had been a surgeon. He was smart, he had money, and my guess was that he was on an island somewhere that prohibited extradition.

"Nina."

I blinked and looked back at my brother. The smirk on his lips had my brow arching in suspicion.

He leaned over and poked my belly, "We work on that tomorrow."

My jaw dropped incredulously, "Are you calling me fat?!"

He giggled, "No, but we gotta get stronger."

"Guys don't like women who have Bruce Lee bodies."

"The brothers would."

 _Good, point._

"Dammit!" I pouted, "There go my dreams of being a couch potato."

He laughed, making me smile. I sat up and touched his hair again. "We should cut your hair tomorrow-"

"No," he brushed me off.

I cocked a brow, "Why not?"

"I'm growing it out."

I frowned, and he looked up at me, his jaw stubbornly set and his eyes serious.

"I want dreadlocks, Nina."

I giggled, and Danny got all pouty because he thought I was laughing at him. I grabbed him, and he shoved at me.

"Nina! I mean it!" He whined angrily, shoving at my chest.

"I know," I said the giggles subsided into a wistful sigh, thinking about the twins' dreads. Danny wanted to be exactly like them. It was cute. But nostalgia is a double edged blade.

I rested my chin in his hair, my hands holding him more firmly to me. Life wasn't fair. It had stolen so much away from this kid. It took me awhile to see it, and when I did, I didn't want to believe it. Danny didn't see Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle as brothers. He idealized them as father figures. And I think that's why he felt so strongly that they would return. Losing a friend is heartbreaking, but losing a father for the second time -even if they are freaking crab-faced foul tempered aliens- is devastating.

"Will you do it?" He asked, hopeful.

My breath fanned through his hair as I quietly sighed, "Alright."

He pulled away and smiled at me briefly before sitting back up on his knees and peering through the telescope. "I need a map," he said. "I keep forgetting where I've started and left off in my search."

"They have an app for that," I said, picking up the phone. A few minutes spent hunting the app store, and I found several maps of space, galaxy atlases, guides, and even ones that use GPS to show you the view of the sky from where you are. I sat up, and we spent a few hours cataloging and searching the stars...

...

Fangs snapped within an inch of my nose, and I automatically jerked my head to the side and realized I'd left my throat unprotected as hot breath fanned the exposed skin covering my pulse pounding jugular. I collapsed back on the grass with a winded groan."Damn it."

"You left yourself open," Danny tisked.

I rolled my eyes, "If you haven't noticed, Baymax, isn't exactly a chihuahua." Hell, his paw was the size of the kid's face. "Besides what are the chances of me ever running into another werewolf-sized dog?"

Baymax sniffed my face and kept me pinned with one massive paw on my chest. I'll admit it was fun wrestling with him, he wasn't a pushover or a light weight but the dog bested me all the time and made it seem easy. However, despite his frightening appearance, Baymax was pretty gentle. And could play fight without getting aggressive.

"That's not the point, Nina. What if we run into more bug aliens?"

I wasn't sure if Baymax could handle a Xenomorph, but I understood my brother's point. "Fine, whatever. I'll try harder next time but can we call it a day for now? It's hot. We've gone for our run in the woods and every other hellish thing you can think of; I'm exhausted, and it's not even noon yet."

Danny frowned and mulled it over in his head for a second before responding. "Lunch?"

I blew out a breath, limbs heavier than sandbags. "Fine. Whatever gets me out of the Devil's armpit and into the air-conditioned house." I stared up at Baymax and patted his scarred muzzle, "You heard him, boy. Lunch time. Off."

The werewolf moved off me and walked over to Danny, and sat beside him. I shook my head, still amazed by how well this dog behaved, how quickly he learned, and the intelligence that stirred behind that lone icy blue orb. It often left me wondering about his past, about the people he lived with previously. Had Baymax always been this perceptive? Or was it a learned trait? At only four years old, he wasn't quite a puppy but he sure as hell wasn't a senior citizen either. The dog's sharp instincts and watchful nature reminded me more or less of Bagheera from _The_ _Jungle Book_.

Whatever his past, his future was with us now, and I for one was glad to have him around. Not only because he made Danny happy but because I knew my baby brother was safe. I'd made several enemies over the past few weeks, to which the twins were partially at fault for, but regardless I was glad someone else had my brothers back...

"Damn you to hell, you crab-faced-mother-fucker!" I growled. After feeding the beasties and a quick shower, I realized I had no clean clothes for work tonight. I'd picked up a regular shift or two at the Swill and Trotters, a tiny bar that was famous for its pickled pigs' feet. The waitresses didn't have a dress code, but short skirts, tight shirts, and push-up bras equaled extra moola. I'm a big believer in a good bra. Without a decent bra, those of us blessed or cursed -depending on your point of view- with anything larger than a C cup would be in pain. However, I could live my whole life without wearing a damn skirt. Especially some of the ones the other waitresses wore, they might as well wear strings with tiny cloth cut-outs to cover their hoo-ha's. Seriously, it was shameless. I've been dubbed 'momma bear' because of how close an eye I keep on the girls, and on the drunk men, eye fucking them.

The washing machine beeped, yanking me out of my thoughts and I growled as the little error code flashed at me because it couldn't sense that the lid was closed. "Stupid, Osh'ikeille!"

The bastard had ripped the lid off, and now the washer constantly stalled. The only way to get the stupid thing to work was if I sat on the lid for the whole fucking cycle which seriously, cut into my couch potato time. And I didn't get much downtime with Danny taking our new lifestyle to the extreme.

Blowing out a breath, I grabbed the GED prep guide I'd picked up last week and hopped up on the washer. The machine vibrated to life, and I crossed my legs and ignored the memory the sensation brought back every time. A lonely woman left alone with this machine could play out some very pornographic fantasies, but I wasn't alone in the house; and the stark reminder of what could've been only managed to leave me angry and unfulfilled. So I buried the yearning with my studies and tried not let the unrelenting discontent suffocate me.

...

"Jason is totally dreamy."

I rolled my eyes and handed Glynda (Not to be confused with The Good Witch of the North mind you because this blonde will beat you bloody if you do.), the bartender, and owner of the Swill and Trotters several empty glasses. Glynda and I shared a look before my eyes cut to MaryJane and addressed the problems about the newest love of her life.

"MaryJane," I sighed, trying my best not to sound motherly to a woman who was older than me by two years. "Jason is married, and the only thing he's dreaming about is what's barely hidden by those pink panties you keep flashin'." Needless to say, I failed miserably. I guess since I dropped out of high school and jumped straight into the mom role of raising my kid brother I'd missed out on the stage of life where everything was hearts and rainbows. _Thank-the-gods._ Because just staring at MaryJane's beaming expression was making me nauseous.

"You're such a mom, Nina," she said with a bell-like titter and playful smacked my forearm. Her doe-brown orbs, filled with bubbly feelings found Jason's and the two made goo-goo eyes at one another. "Beside's Jason and I are soulmates."

 _And my IQ just dropped ten points..._

"Isn't that what you said about Bobby last week?" I asked incredulously.

"And Joesph two weeks before that?" Glynda chimed in without taking her eyes off the bar as she wiped away invisible spots on the pristine mahogany. The Swill and Trotters is probably the cleanest bar I'd ever seen and god save any idiot who made a mess or started a brawl in Glynda's place. The buxom blonde ran a tight ship and could brow beat the drunkest ass-tard into submission. I liked her a lot and was grateful for the work.

MaryJane looked back at us and pouted, "It's different this time."

"Uh-huh," I muttered, not even attempting to hide my skepticism.

MaryJane huffed and adjusted her ample cleavage that was dangerously close to busting out of the silky red bustier she wore. The woman had an hour glass figure with all her curves sexually accentuated. I had curves too, but I wasn't soft like MaryJane. I had muscle, more of it now thanks to my pint-sized drill sergeant of a brother. And then, of course, there were the scars. If the guys weren't turned off by my tomboyish figure, then the scars had their gazes moving onto sexier targets. Weenies. Some men just couldn't handle a woman with true grit.

Jason gave MaryJane a little finger wave and the brunette floated back to him on a big fluffy cloud of love. Or lust. It was hard to tell sometimes with that girl.

"You tried, momma bear."

"You're older than me," I growled.

Glynda chuckled, "Then act your age. Make stupid decisions; fall in love at first sight; have a one-night stand; drink until Jason over there looks as fine as The Rock blah, blah, blah. Need I go on?"

"Even if I drank half your supply, I highly doubt Jason over there could ever look anything thing like Dwayne Johnson. Plus, I don't have time to play the clueless moron," I rubbed a hand down my face. "I'm raising an eight-year-old remember?"

Glynda gave me a sympathetic smile while loading my tray with three beers and a vodka tonic. "Then have fun at least. Flirt. Show a little skin. For gods sakes, if you wanna make decent tips in this place your gonna have to do better than running shorts."

I frowned, "They're spandex, and don't leave much to the imagination."

Her smile turned bored, "Yes, and coupled with your black Nike tank, which I know you purposely wear to show off your scarred shoulder, and the perpetual back-the-fuck-off scowl on your face makes the slogan on your tank 'Just Do It' sound more like a threat."

 _The twins wouldn't turn away from my scars._

"Perfect."

I blinked and stared at Glynda. "What's perfect?"

"The smile that just crossed your face."

 _I smiled?_

"What were you thinking about?" she prodded.

The brothers. And I realized I could smile at some of the memories. It hurt to think about them, and my heart squeezed painfully, but a smile managed to work its way free of the scowl recalling the first time I'd met Osh'ikeille. The lovechild of a Klingon and Cthulhu, and how I'd brained him with a pan and the fallout of that the day after when he woke up royally pissed off. And then there was Uzkielle, who unlike Osh'ikeille, did try to kill me in the beginning but by the end, I'd won the big dummy over with a few strokes to the ego and saving his life.

"That a girl."

I refocused on Glynda.

She smiled, "Whatever you're thinking about keep it up." Glynda pushed the tray towards me. "Now take this to table three."

I didn't want to think about them. It hurt too much. But we needed money. And if thinking about the fridiots is what gave me a more approachable smile -which meant better tips- then I could suffer through it for awhile.

I picked up the tray, imagined dropping _Thing one and Thing Two_ into a Transformer-sized blender and switched it on. A smile twitched my lips, and I made my way over to table three...

The evening ended on a better note than it started. I was wiping down tables, a soft smile still curving my lips. It had waned somewhat throughout the course of the night but time does wonderous things for an angry heart. The patrons trickled in and trickled out, never enough to keep my thoughts otherwise occupied and eventually I stopped mentally flogging the brothers and started apply reason to why they left.

I'd told my brother countless times that this wasn't their planet and yet, I'd never listened to my own logical conclusions. Secretly, I think I blamed myself for them leaving, but that would be giving myself way to much credit. The brothers didn't run from anything. So perhaps I'd been right, and their species didn't form lasting bonds with sexual partners. Or maybe they really had been called away for some unknown reason. But what I hadn't considered before was that this species was elusive and secretive, keeping themselves well hidden from humans. Even after centuries of stalking and hunting our kind, there wasn't so much as a ghost story to their credit. Danny and I had been left alive- no doubt breaking many of the strict codes in which their species lived and died by. And that was no small gesture.

Dazed and lost in my confusing thoughts of alien politics I didn't notice Glynda sidle up to me until she nudged me with a hip. I started and spun so fast, the woman's blue orbs flew wide and her hands came up defensively at the look of pure panic and rage twisting my features. I'd moved instinctually, my hand at the small of my back ready to slip the knife free but I controlled the reaction and placed my hand on the table and leaned on it as I took a shaky breath.

"Fuck, sorry Glynda," I breathed.

 _Not a Xenomorph, Neens. Jeez get a grip, you've been jumping at shadows ever since the boys left._

Glynda laughed nervously, "Nah, I should know better than to spook you. You're one wired chic, you know that? Franky just got feeling back in his jaw."

I snorted. Franky acted as both the handyman and the occasional bouncer. On my first night of work he'd pinched my butt and my knee-jerk reaction was to deck him. I thought I was gonna get fired right on the spot, but Glynda merely busted into a fit of laughter and told the idiot it served him right. After surviving several Xenomorph encounters, government/company goon squads, and a run in with Dracula's most pretentious fanboy- _wired_ was putting it mildly. It would take more than a month to get over that kind of PTSD, but then again maybe it was better never to forget. Every night people all over the globe went to bed unburdened by the knowledge that there were aliens among us. Real life, living, breathing monsters. It's not exactly something you should forget. Years from now I might calm down a bit but I rather doubted I'd ever sleep with both eyes closed again.

The blonde frowned at me, and I smiled going for nonchalance. "Yeah," I sighed, brushing the strands of chestnut-red hair that escaped the confinement of the bobby pins I'd used to tame it. "Life's been a little crazy."

Her frown deepened and she sat herself down in a chair and gestured for me to do the same. I did, but only because her pinched expression was making me anxious. Glynda was my boss. I didn't think she was about to give me the boot, but it was only natural to be a little freaked out by the possibility.

I worried the rag in my hands, ringing it over and over again until Glynda finally laid a hand over mine to stop me. Taking a deep breath, I willed myself to calm down and met Glynda's blue eyes evenly. To my surprise, her eyes softened, and a gentle, sympathetic smile tugged at her full lips.

"Nina, do you want to talk about it?"

My instinctual response was an immediate no. I hadn't even told Trey, who was undoubtedly my best if not my only friend, the truth. But the automatic response died on my tongue. Glynda and I weren't friends but our personalities complemented each other's so well, that I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind. Still, Glynda was also my boss.

I shook my head, "I'm sorry, Glynda, but I really should head-"

Glynda's chair scraped the cement floor, the sound sharp and painful to my ears making me wince. Without a word the blonde got up and went over to the bar. I heard the clink, clink, of glass and frowned quizzically at the shot glasses and whiskey in her hands as she headed back.

She slapped an empty shot glass down in front of me. "Talk," she said stubbornly and then proceeded to fill the tiny boot-shaped glass with the dark amber liquid. "Your brother will be fine for another twenty minutes, yes?"

 _With a freaking dog the size of a moose babysitting him? The only ones not safe are the idiots who'd dare to tread on our land._

"Exactly," she said, pouring herself a drink as well.

I smiled at her 'no bullshit style' and raised my glass when she did. The whiskey burned going down, it cleared my sinuses and made my eyes water. It was like taking a shot of wasabi. I coughed and smacked the empty glass on the table.

Glynda smirked, "Not partial to whiskey?"

"Not partial to acid," I countered, rubbing my chest to soothe the flames burning within.

She laughed and poured herself another shot and then offered me another, but I shook my head. I still had to make it home tonight.

The blonde shrugged and sipped the whiskey in her glass like it was freakin' sweat tea. "Spill your guts darlin'."

I bit my lip. For obvious reasons, I couldn't talk about my life. But even just the invitation to 'spill my guts' left my chest warmer than the whiskey. And fuzzy. Okay, that part might've been the whiskey.

"You ever see _Beauty and the Beast_?"

Her face scrunched in confusion, "Is that your way of telling me you fell in love with an ugly son of a bitch?"

I laughed, "Kind of, although, that's actual a bad example. Beauty still got her man in the end." Unexpectedly, I'd begun talking, surprising myself. Maybe I couldn't tell her everything but talking to Glynda was easy. She wasn't judgmental and moreover she was female. I hadn't had actual 'girl talk' since I was in middle school. I'm not sexist. Trey is an amazing friend, but he's also very much a man and men just don't have the same responses as women. If you start talking to a guy friend about an ex-boyfriend said guy friend ceases to hear your actual words and only hears 'Please beat my exboyfriend! He hurt me!'.

Glynda listened quietly, without interruption. Nodding, or grunting when dictated by the tone of the conversation. Of course, I gave them appropriate human names... even if they came to me because, Danny, begged me to let him watch the TMNT movies last night before bed. So now Osh'ikeille who was aka Pakkun is now Leonardo and Uzkielle who was aka Lobomon is now Raphael. Glynda raised a brow at the names but either she didn't connect them back to the movie reference or decided not to call me out on the lie. And by the time, I was done the blonde was on her fifth shot of liquid fire.

"Damn," she said with feeling. "And here I thought MaryJane was a trainwreck."

I smiled tiredly, "Perhaps, but honestly, I feel a thousand times better now that I've talked to you about it. Thank you for that."

She nodded sagely, making me smile wider.

"Anytime, Nina." She capped the whiskey and gave me a serious look, "Keeping that kind of shit bottled up will only give you ulcers." She smiled cheekily, "Now go home before you give your brother an ulcer."

I glanced at my phone and was shocked to find it was nearly two in the morning, and I'd been blathering on for over an hour. I smiled sheepishly, "Sorry about that."

She waved the apology away and headed back behind the bar. "See you Tuesday, Nina."

"Will do," I called back with a smile and feeling more upbeat than I had in weeks, I exited the bar.

The ends of my short hair curled almost instantly in response to the boiling evening air. The parking lot wasn't very big, but sweat already began to bead where the knife rested between my shoulder blades as I walked to my truck at the far end. The scant fluorescent lighting from the lone security light only seemed to make the shadows deeper where it didn't touch. There were one or two cars left in the lot; looking vaguely like sleeping monsters in the dark.

I laughed at myself, and it probably sounded ridiculous to anyone listening, but my daddy used to say if you laugh then things that scare you lose their power over you. So I laughed, and eventually started humming the TMNT song.

 _Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked_

 _Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked_

 _Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked_

 _Knock, knock, you about to get shell shocked_

 _That's my fam, I'll hold 'em down forever_

 _Us against the world, we can battle whoever_

 _Together..._

The song trailed off, my thoughts silenced as I came upon my truck, there was something on the driver side window. A flyer or so I thought. I drew closer. Cautious. And stared dumbfounded, plucking the perverse picture from the window to study it more closely. Was this someone's idea of a twisted, sick joke? It was a still shot of me. And the longer I stared it, the harder my heart began to pound. This photo had been taken the night of the fire and altered in monochromatic shades of crimson, extenuating the mud and what little blood spatter remained on my face, neck, and shoulders. Everything beyond me was faded, nothing but formless red blurs. The photographer had gotten a clear shot of my face, my eyes wide, shell-shocked, and distant. Never even once seeing whoever took this photo as I stared right into the camera.

"What the fuck..." I breathed harshly. My eyes cemented to the sadistic caption above the still shot. I swallowed thickly. My hands beginning to shake. In mockingly beautiful, flawless, blood-red, handwritten script it read: Have You Seen Me?

Fear rendered me immobile for half a second, but half a second is all it takes. Too late, I realized the photo wasn't only meant to terrify me but also distract me and it fucking worked. I never heard him coming. Not until the last moment when awareness prickled along my spine, and the hairs at the nape of my neck stood on end.

Adrenaline assaulted me, making it feel as though time had slowed. I dropped the disturbing poster. Shivering at the wicked intent slithering over my exposed skin as if it were a tangible living, writhing shadow. I started to turn, teeth bared in a snarl, face contorting in rage. My hand instinctively went behind me, going for the knife. But that half second gave my attacker the advantage. Before I could spin completely around, before my hand even grazed the hilt of the blade, fingers dug into the base of my skull and threw me face first into the window of the Bronco. One moment splitting agony... the next I was on the ground, my vision blurring at the edges... a shadow crouched over me... fingers encircled my throat... then... nothing...

 _... live or die, man, we need each other..._

* * *

 **A/N: Teehee XD Ah, please don't hate me! Cliffhangers are my pride and joy! Like I said, so many more hunts ;) Oh! oh! Did you guys enjoy that tidbit of foreshadowing I snuck in at the beginning? (Grins evilly) Sneaky, sneaky, neh? Lol, anyway hope you guys enjoyed the update! Sorry for mistakes! I'm on the edge of my seat! I had so much fun with that ending I probably listened to Shell Shocked twenty times, ha! I know it's not the original TMNT song but this one went better with the update ;) Thanx for the favs, follows, and reviews!**

 **CaseyCross: Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm happy you loved it! XD**

 **Shenandoah76209: Lol, I thought you might get a kick out of 'Lucy'. Pleased as sweet tea you did :)**

 **Rasha007: Hehe, maybe ;) Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx for the love :D**

 **crocfarmer: Lol, I'm pleased you enjoyed my little -er well BIG addition to Nina and Danny's family ;)**

 **KittyKatt25: Lol, I'm glad you found Lucy funny. Yeah, poor Nina she definitely can't seem to catch a break ;)**

 **XxShadowfangxX: LMAO, I wanna see the brothers reaction to Baymax too! Glad, you like the addition to the family! Thank you so much for the love XD**

 **Kay: I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't fade away! I honestly couldn't help myself with the cliffhanger! Lol, anyway I have no plans for half human, half crab-faced babies currently. Haha (the gods help us) Yes, it's fanfiction so even if I don't believe they could have a baby anything can happen in fiction... especially with me as the writer of said fiction (insert evil maniacal laugh here)! But I promise you this I will not kill Baymax. Thank you for the love chi'ytei! XD**

 **Sleepyhallow01: I'm glad you like Baymax! Thanx :)**

 **Black Cross0: Hehe, did you like my twist? Oh, I'm so happy you like the addition to the family! Thanx :D**

 **Haylz93: Sadly it did mean bad things for Nina. The poor girl. Will the brothers come to the rescue? Hmmm we'll see ;) So happy you like my addition to the family. Thanx, Haylz :)**

 **angel897: Babies may not be in the cards right now but the future is not concrete. Hope the update was worth the wait! Thanx, angel! Have a good day :)**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: Lol, I know but I appreciate the info anyway. You've been quite helpful at reminding me of certain things and giving me ideas ;) (Though, I haven't decided how deeply into the Yautja's way of life I plan to delve.) Yeah, I know it's been speculated that their DNA is compatible but its never been confirmed (or at least not that I can recall). Besides Nina wouldn't know any of that stuff. Babies? We'll see... Thank you so much, my friend! XD**

 **Guest reviewers: G1~ Nah, I couldn't imagine that kid picking out a toy poodle either. Lol, thanx! XD G2~ I will update soon XD**

 **KTCameleon: Lol, so happy you like my furry addition to Nina and Danny's family! I think Baymax definitely has a role to play ;) Thanx, KT :)**

 **sousie: Hmmm will the brothers come back? We'll see ;) Hope the update was worth the wait :)**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Your wish is my command! And I'm even working on the next update ;)**

 **flor da aurora: I'm excited about the hunt too ;D Thanx so much for the love!**

 **Hefster: Cheating husband. The old lady that babysat Danny was Miss De Ville. Hope you enjoyed XD**

 **Tenfangirl: Lol, I promise Baymax will not be killed by Xeno's. I couldn't take him away from Danny. Thanx, Tenfangirl you're awesome! XD**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Miss De Ville was the babysitter. Lol, hope you enjoyed the update ;)**

 **oOArtemisQuinnOo: Lol, I'm not sure Nina can handle much more at this point. Especially not a baby but the future's not set in stone. Glad you liked Baymax! Thanx :)**

 **09sasha: Lol, yes she was the wife of Mr. Finch aka Dante. I love my 'werewolf' addition too. :D**

 **crystalga: Lol, currently I do not plan on her being pregnant, but the future isn't concrete ;) Haha, glad you like Baymax! The predators had their reasons for leaving but I think they have a bigger reason to come back ;) Thank you, my friend!**

 **Luna Silvereyes: (BTW I love your name. It's like The BlackWidow or The Scarlet Witch. It's a badass heroine name!) Anyway, I know it's lonely without them. Even to me, and I'm the freaking writer. *sighs* Lol, sorry about the cliffhanger, I honestly couldn't help myself this time! I apologize to your guys in advance for this latest cliffy. Thanx so much Luna Silvereyes! XD**

 **CieloDistante: Lol, I'm glad you didn't get bored and pleased you enjoyed it. Hehe and the plot takes a sinister turn. Like I said there's a reason for everything I do. ;) I wanted you guys to kinda forget about Mr. Finch makes it so much more suspenseful later. Lol, I had a lot of fun imagining the scene with Baymax too! Also, Nina is not related to Nani, though, they do seem to share similar qualities, but ultimately Nina was a character I dreamed up. Thank you so much for the love! Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **Nightbloodwolf: LMAO your review made me smile. Not sure about adding much of the supernatural to this story but I do hint at it sometimes. Things are definitely going down! Thank you XD**

 **Zombiehorde13: LMAO, punch the depression in the face XD Love it! Also, it is sadly true that the rate of pet abandonment does go up because of certain movies. A friend of mine works with animals and she told me about the box turtle incident. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx, zombie :)**

 **BlackblackAngel: Lol, nope definitely not over! Sorry about the shock. Thanx for the love XD**


	17. Chapter 17

**Where's Liam Neeson When You Need Him?!**

Hot bile roiled in my guts, twisting and boiling my insides as it threatened to come up. My head was pounding, the world was spinning, the taste of dirty pennies on my tongue. I groaned, face twisting in agony and confusion. My eyelids wouldn't open, they were gummy and stuck fast. I tried to raise a hand to rub them, and the confusion morphed into stark bewilderment as both hands came up together.

Brow pinched in consternation, I worked my wrists, twisting and pulling before finally understanding they were bound together. The bile threatened to rise again. Why was I bound? What happened? Gods, why wouldn't the world hold the fuck still?!

I inhaled a ragged breath through my nose, and there was a strange, almost sterile quality to the air with a not so subtle perfumey pine smell. A breeze lazily drifted over my exposed skin, raising gooseflesh in its wake. And as the addled state of my brain began to sharpen, I became aware of a muffled whooshing sound and steady vibrations beneath me. The side of my face pressed into something cool and hard; and I winced as the faint, shaky motion caused my forehead to bounce against the unforgiving surface. The pain intensified, the bitch of all hangovers, like going mano a mano with a BigRig that has hand grenades attached to its grill.

But the pain brought with it an unpleasant amount of clarity and the fog completely lifted from my mind as I became aware of something else or rather someone else's presence. Whoever it was their gaze fell upon me, sliding over me with agonizing slowness, I could practically feel leaving trails of slime behind. Even though my heart was a jittering like a meth addict, I willed myself to control my breathing so as not to give away just how scared shitless I was.

Apparently, I've contracted the Taken Syndrome. And like a B listed movie actress, I seemed to be stuck getting cast as the damsel in distress- and I was fucking tired of it! So where the hell was Liam Neeson when I needed the sexy Irish bastard?!

My heart lurched painfully then shuddered in my chest as the reality of my situation hit me on a visceral level. My boys were gone. And no one, not even Liam fucking Neeson, would be coming to save me. I was in this alone. A torrent of emotion hit me all at once, and I couldn't decide whether to laugh or burst into tears. But crawling into the proverbial dark hole, curling into a fetal position and becoming hysterical wouldn't save my skin. No matter how alluring that darkness looked, I had to fight it, because showing one's underbelly and throat to the enemy is not the hunter's way.

 _The hunter's way..._ A humorless chuckle, nothing more than a heavy breath, escaped me. How ironic. My brother's words came rushing back. _"... you left yourself exposed..."_ I had left myself exposed, and not only would my brother be disappointed but so would Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle. My chin dipped, hanging my head low. Shameful. How was it possible that after all this time- after all the shit that I've lived through and learned in the past several weeks I'd retained nothing?!

The barest whisper of movement stole my attention, freezing my muscles and even my breath as I focused all my senses on the presence beside me. Someone touched my chin, and I jerked my head smacking the hard surface that had been keeping me semi-upright.

"Fuck!" I yelped, unable to control the reaction. The pain rang with the intensity of a thousand gongs inside my skull.

Obscene laughter sliced through the agony. The deep masculine sound, rich with wicked ambition and zero humor, filled my very soul with dread. I heard the rustle of fabric as he moved again, making me jump as his hand suddenly gripped my thigh. The touch sent a revolting shiver up my spine, and I fought the urge to vomit as his warm fingers flexed.

"Hello, Elle," he whispered huskily.

My heart stopped. I knew that voice. Just like I'd known the familiar slimy feel of his presence, but it still hadn't prepared me for hearing that voice again.

"Or should I say, _Nina_ ," he growled angrily. His hand gripped my thigh painfully, and I stifled a gasp.

I lifted my hands and furiously rubbed at my eyes with my bound wrists, scrubbing the grit and whatever the hell the gummy crud was away. My lids cracked apart, and I blinked several times as the air stung my eyes. The first thing I registered was the ducktape binding my wrists, and the dried bits of blood stuck to the back of them. I raised my fingers to my face, hissing when I brushed the laceration on my forehead. The blood was still tacky, and I realized the blood is what cemented my lids shut.

I lowered my hands, noticed the air vent in front of me and the window beside me. Suddenly, the motion and vibrations made sense. We were in a car and judging by the pine tree freshener swaying from the rearview and sterilized air it was a rental.

My eyes dropped to the hand still gripping my thigh, treading dangerously close to my most intimate parts. The violating touch left me more nauseated than the head wound. I swallowed the disgust I felt, using it to feed the embers of rage that had flared to life in my chest and found the strength to finally meet Dante- or rather Andrew Finch's steady gaze.

He'd ditched the scarlet contacts, but somehow the cinnamon brown of his irises punctuated with gold flecks seemed far more sinister. And I realized it was because, despite the angry tone of his voice, his eyes were barren of any emotion. Gone was the cool, suave, fanged fantasy of women's dark romance novels. All that remained was Andrew Finch, a cold, self-possessed, psychopath.

 _Maybe all those nights of binge watching_ Criminal Minds _hadn't been such a bad idea._ Then again just because I knew what he was, didn't make him any less terrifying. In fact, after watching so much crime television, knowing exactly what he might be capable of only made the reality so much worse.

A cruel smile twisted his handsome features into something more monstrous than human, and I couldn't fight the inadvertent shiver that seized me. He laughed. I tried to pull away from the hand on my thigh, but he merely gripped harder, digging in his blunt nails.

Spurred by the adrenaline and the rabbiting of my heart, the fear and the panic hijacked my ability to think clearly and a pitiful whimper escaped my lips.

He laughed, and I flinched away from the sharp sound. "Where're your mates now, wolf girl?" he snarled, viciously. "Did they abandon you when they figured out you're more bark than bite?"

The barb hit the mark a little too close to home, and the sudden wash of anger helped ground me. "How long have you been watching me?" Because it was obvious by that comment, that he at least knew I wasn't currently in a relationship.

The brothers hadn't abandoned us. But admittedly, one of my biggest fears was that Pakkun had lost interest because I was human. Compared to them we were outclassed in every aspect. Even after we had sex, I realized -by the state of the cracked tile in the shower- he had to hold back to keep from hurting me. Maybe even killing me. They were big boys, and I'm guessing the females of their species were no lightweights either. Still, it was an unfounded assumption, and I highly doubt it had anything to do with why they left but when we lose loved ones the cynical side of ourselves tends to lay the blame at our own feet.

Andrew's eyes went back to the road. "Too, long," he muttered vaguely, his features cold and unreadable. "That damn mutt of yours made it impossible to watch your home, and unlike most people, you don't have a habitual pattern. But I am nothing if not patient." He stared at me from the corner of his eye, and once again I glimpsed the monster beneath his human skin as he bared his teeth, giving me a horrifying flash of a sharpened canine. They weren't caps. Andrew had actually, filed his teeth to fine points. "And it paid off. Don't worry, Nina, you're in good hands. I'm a surgeon, remember? My wife's heart still beat even after stabbing her half a dozen times-" He tilted his head in my direction, the smile almost gleeful. "-do you know how well-versed one has to be in human anatomy to stab someone that many times without killing them?"

I swallowed hard but was determined not to show just how much he scared me. Facing the Xenomorph Queen and her brood had been terrifying, but they were creatures control by the natural instinct to feed and multiply. What Andrew offered was far more sickening. He wouldn't simply just kill me- he'd torture me. Render me down until I begged for death, but even then he wouldn't give it. Xenomorphs were frightening beasts, but Andrew was the thing hiding under your bed.

He chuckled darkly at my scowl. His hand moved from my leg, slipped behind his back and produced a knife. I stared at the blade, my eyes growing round. I shifted myself against the seat, silently begging the gods that it wasn't true. But it was. The empty sheath rubbed against my spine. I glared at Andrew. My blade in his hand and the embers of rage ignited into full blown hate. Killing me with my own blade was just another way to violate me.

 _Freakin' wackadoodle!_

"That a girl," he said coldly. Lightning fast, his hand flashed out, and he ran the tip of the blade over my left thigh. The finely honed edge was so sharp, I didn't register the pain until blood welled up and began to bead. I inhaled sharply through my nose. The beads spilled over, running in thin, warm ribbons over the curvature of my muscle, pooling beneath my leg where it was soaked up by the gray fabric of the seat.

"Mother fucker," I breathed murderously.

He smirked, keeping the knife at the ready in case I grew ballsy. "This is going to be fun," he said, his attention split between me and the road.

I wanted to kill him. He'd used Osh'keille's gift against me. But in the confined space of the car, at the mercy of my frenzied emotions and with my hands bound, I'd die before a scream cleared my throat.

 _Calm down, Nina._ It was easier said than done. My daddy taught me to be level headed. Though he probably never imagined that one day I'd help slay aliens, and the next I'd be kidnapped and at the mercy of a crazy person but those lessons he taught me might be the only way to survive this.

Closing my eyes, I pressed my hand over the wound in my thigh. The pain had me draw in a sharp breath, but it helped me focus.

 _Assess your situation._

My eyes slit open. I was already well aware of my situation.

 _Take stock of your surroundings. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell?_

The car moved somewhat shakily as if the road was uneven. I glanced outside the window and the headlights illuminated a dirt road surrounded by dense vegetation on either side of us. The thick scent of the swamp -dank, musky, decaying plant life- clung to the back of my throat.

 _Okay, so we're on one of the zillions of backroads closest to a swamp... Oh, yeah, that's helpful... Not!_

"Where are we going?" I asked, quietly proud of how controlled my voice sounded.

He glanced at me then away. Revealing nothing.

 _Know your enemy. Andrew Finch is a predator, but not an honorable one like Osh'keille and Uzkielle. Andrew attacked me with my back turned, so maybe he isn't confident he can take me without the element of surprise._ I glanced at the tape binding my wrists. Only my wrists. _So he didn't have the nerve to take me without knocking me out._ My eyes flicked to the blade still held at the ready. _But the blade feeds his self-assurance that he can keep me compliant._

Behavior doesn't lie. People are more likely to comply when faced with a blade rather than a gun. However, Andrew made a critical mistake. Never. Ever. Underestimate your opponent. Especially when said opponent happens to be a southern girl with a mean temper, raised by a military honed father; who once upon a time also happened to run and hunt with the most dangerous predators the universe probably had to offer. Of course, Andrew knew known of this, which was to my advantage.

The road was changing. We were on a downslope and there was a kind of ravine skirting the left side of the road. It was too dark to know how deep, and I blanched at the sudden suicidal idea that crossed my mind. But then, again, how much longer would I be on this joy ride from hell?

 _Shit,_ I closed my eyes. _What would the brothers do?_ My eyes snapped back open. _They'd rip his fucking spine out like the shit vein from a shrimp._ I stifled a snort. I didn't want to garner Andrew's attention. Not now that he'd laxed and wasn't paying close attention. Even though the blade is light, it's hell trying to hold your arm up for an extended period of time, and Andrew's arm had lowered.

Before I could lose my nerve, I gave the seatbelt running across my chest an experimental tug, making sure it was latched properly. It was. _How nice of the fanged fruitcake to care._ Heart hammering in my ears, I punched the release on Andrew's safety beat. Thinking I was attacking him he slashed at me with the knife cutting the back of my forearms as I jerked them both up to guard myself.

"Bitch! What the hell are you- shit!"

Desperate, I awkwardly grabbed the wheel and wrenched it as hard as I could to the left. The car swerved sharply. Andrew over compensated and stomped the brakes. The seat belt cut into my shoulder. Vertigo. My stomach flipped flopped. My jaw clicked together- pain flared as my head bounced off the window. A strangled scream- my scream. Nothing made sense. My eyes pinched shut. The crunch of metal rang in my ears. _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_ Limbs flailing, uselessly, reflexively trying to brace- _No, don't!_ Glass shattered- stinging pain in my forearms. Andrew's disjointed scream. My heart pounded mercilessly. The urge to retch burned the back of my throat. Another savage jerk- an ear piercing shriek of shredding metal. The air exploded from my lungs- my chest compressed. _Danny! Dan-_

 _..._

My eyes snapped open. The world was pitch black, filled with a strange cacophony of escaping air, creaks, metallic groans, and whirring, and also I had the weirdest sensation of weightlessness like being underwater but at the same time under tremendous pressure. The air smelled of burnt oil, hot iron, and the swamp. My head throbbed in time with my erratic heartbeat. I'd blacked out, but considering the amount adrenaline pumping through me it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

I groaned and reached up, the confusion only mounting as I found my arms strangely heavy, and... stuck together?

Movement. A soft swish, swish, sound that might've been beads on cloth. I peered into the darkness. Steadily my night vision grew better, and I became aware of a person on my immediate left almost within touching distance of my dangling arms- dangling? I blinked stupidly for a moment then it dawned on me that gravity hadn't short-circuited, I was upside down.

The man below me groaned, and I suddenly remembered why that was a very bad thing. The adrenaline surged, and my heart pounded so hard I thought my ribs might crack. I brought my hands up and desperately began to rip at the tape with my teeth. I couldn't breathe properly I was too panicked and all the blood was rushing to my head.

Andrew shifted, his arms moving thousands of glass shards which made a soft swish sound against the ceilings upholstery. I abandoned the tape and went for the release to the freakin' safety beat now holding me captive. Dangling me like bait directly in front of my captor who was regaining consciousness at an alarming rate.

 _Come on! Come on!_

Slick with sweat or maybe blood my fingers kept slipping. I finally got a good hold on it and jabbed at the release. Nothing happened. _Fuck!_ I jabbed it again, and again, but the stupid thing was jammed.

 _Fucking piece of shit! Xena didn't have to deal with this crap!_

My arms dropped with a frustrated growl. Andrew hissed a muffled curse, and my eyes darted back to him. Seriously, how the fuck was the bastard not dead?!

Frantic, I reached for one of the bigger shards of glass and bit back a scream as it broke and sliced my fingers. I dragged my bleeding, shaking fingers through the pebble-sized shards, searching for anything I could use to free myself.

Andrew made a noise, and my eyes snapped back to him. The fucker lifted his head, his eyes unfocused and confused until they settled on me. My heart lurched as rage morphed his features into something far uglier than a Xenomorph.

"Bitch," he breathed blood dribbling from his lips.

I reached for the seatbelt again and pushed down on the release with all the strength I could muster. The damn thing wouldn't budge. I could hear Andrew start to get up, but my eyes suddenly zeroed in on the knife. My knife. Breaths ragged, I fought against the confines of the belt, desperate to reach it.

In my periphery, I saw Andrew lurch towards me. My eyes widened, my fingers touched the dagger's blade, making it spin. With a curse, Andrew slipped, and fell on his chest. My fingers curled around the hilt, and I grabbed it. My abdominals ached as I pulled myself up at the waist, slipped the blade under the strap and cut myself free.

The sudden impact with the ceiling of the car surprised me, and I yelped.

"You stupid, bitch!"

Panicked, I rolled over onto my chest, barely aware of the shards digging into my skin. Andrew reached for me, and I struck out with knife awkwardly. He yanked back his hand before I could take a finger, his eyes darting to the smooshed gap where the windshield used to be. He smiled cruelly and wormed his way through the fissure.

 _Fuck! Nina! Get out!_

Andrew was already halfway out and if he escaped first I was dead meat. The window on my side was bent crudely, with tiny glass teeth sticking out every which way but at this moment it could've been ringed with fire, and I still would've dove through it.

I shimmied out of the window, gritting my teeth and ignoring the stingy pain. I was already scarred to hell anyway. What's a few more to add to the collection? Soon my skin would be a road map just like Uzkielle's.

 _Uzkielle..._ Fuck what I wouldn't give to have that hulking cranky asshole at my back right about now.

The ground was cold and muddy and covered in debris. I scrambled away from the wreckage on my bound wrists, elbows, and knees, all the while trying to calm my frantic breathing so I could listen for Andrew. Once my legs were out, I raised up on my knees and searched for the fanged fruitcake, my head snapping from side to side, eyes wide and wild.

The dense foliage was dark. The bastard could be lurking anywhere. But if I was gonna stand any sort of a chance, I had to free myself. I glanced down at my wrists and fumbled with the knife on my first attempt to get the blade between my wrists and under the tape. I was sweating bullets. Heart beating so loud, I was positive every predatory creature in the swamp heard it. Every sound made me jump and look away from what I was doing, but I finally managed to get the blade against the tape and began to saw at it awkwardly.

Awareness zipped up my spine a nanosecond before the crunch of glass underfoot reached my ears. Instinctively, I curled in on myself and rolled. Pain rocketed through my ribs, but the kick lost a bit of its savagery when I rolled away. Again and again, I rolled. Each time barely able to dodge his angry and clumsy attempts to stomp me.

"You should've come quietly-" Stomp! "-because now I'm going to keep you alive as long-" Stomp! "-as possible!" He raged, his attacks becoming more feverish and angry. "And I won't stop there, _Nina-_ "

I dodged another kicked, and he stumbled back, giving me the opportunity to scramble away and face him from a crouched position.

Cast in the moonlight, with a mad smile on his face and his tongue running over his bloody teeth he looked more demon than human.

"- I'll kill your brother too."

I stilled the sudden stark fear freezing my breath.

His smile and eyes grew manic as he laughed, "It's Danny, isn't?"

My head dipped. I'd given the enemy my weakness. Displayed my soft underbelly to his gnashing fangs so to speak. I could live with more scars. I couldn't live without my kid brother.

A protective growl rumbled in my chest. The sound akin to any predator, not a human. "Snake," I hissed, slowly rising to my feet. I glared at Andrew through the blood and sweat streaked hair hanging in front of my face and snarled, "Keep that forked tongue behind your teeth!"

Andrew sneered, unafraid.

He should be. Because I wasn't afraid anymore.

He produced a scalpel from his back pocket, and his nimble fingers expertly flipped it. "I'll do it in front of you, Nina- make you watch!"

The wind picked up around me as if it were leeching off my rage. With a cry of fury, aided by a rush of adrenaline I jerked my wrists apart. Weakened by the blade, the bindings snapped. No hesitation. I charged Andrew. Still laughing, he did the same.

He sliced the air in front of me. I did the unexpected and dropped down on one knee. My daddy taught me how to fight honorably. My uncle taught me how to fight dirty. And after fighting alongside the ultimate badasses of the universe, I fought with ferocity and brutality and the single-minded goal to defeat my enemy. My prey. I drove the knife down in an arc, slicing through skin, muscle, and fat until the blade hit bone. Andrew roared. Started to pivot towards me. I yanked the blade back out and leaped away. Not fast enough. His swing was wild, desperate, uncoordinated, but he still managed to clip the top of my shoulder with the scalpel.

I took another leap back. Crouched. Eyed the fresh blood running in thick, warm ribbons down to my elbow. I bared teeth at him. The fury hot. Suffocating. I've never felt so determined in all my life.

I got back up. We circled one another for a moment. Andrew held his bleeding side with one hand, the other outstretched with the scalpel.

"My mates didn't abandon me."

Andrew's face screwed up in confusion.

Honestly, I was a bit confused myself. Why on earth would I have a random bout of clairvoyance now?

 _Just roll with it, Nina._

"Earlier you accused my mates of abandoning me. You're wrong. They don't run from anything." And my blood sang with the conviction of those words. I had no right to lay claim to either one of them, yet I felt the truth ring within every cell of my being. I stared at the knife in my hand. For them, hunting was like breathing. So why would Osh'ikeille gift me something as precious as air if there was nothing between us? Why would he get angry when I got hurt? Why leave a trophy behind, or gift one to my brother? Why would he restrain himself from touching me the night he left? Call it what you want. Intuition. Instinct. Either way, Osh'ikeille was mine. And even if he didn't know it yet, Uzkielle was mine too.

I frowned. Someone or something took my boys from me because I was suddenly convinced they did not willingly leave.

Andrew's voice jerked me out of my turbulent thoughts.

"Do you honestly think I'm worried about them?!" He threw his good arm out, encompassing the empty woods with an angry gesture. "Look at where we are? Even if they are looking for you- they will never find you way out here! And once I'm finished you'll be nothing but gator bait!"

I sneered, "I don't need them to protect me from you."

Andrew's face darkened, he didn't say another word as he abruptly rushed me. He came at me fast, faster than I would've predicted given his injuries but he was still hurt. Still in pain. And his anger made him sloppy.

I was hurt too, but the difference was if I didn't best him, Andrew, would make good on his threat and go after my brother. The rage wanted me to lash out without restraint, but I harnessed it and channeled it into my movements.

 _Jedi Nina, ho!_

I moved into Andrew's attack, "You know what I love about movies?!"

A current of air rustled my hair as I dodged and his arm flew over my head.

"Shut up!" He snarled.

He spun wildly, but I was already behind him and kicked out one of his knees making him collapse down. I wrapped my left arm around his neck. "Sometimes they get it right!" I drove the blade into his back.

Andrew gasped, the scalpel fell limply from his raised hand. Warmth spread across my midsection, and I twisted the blade, wrenching a silent scream from him. I leaned in. Words breathy, I whispered, "Fourth lumbar down. The sweet spot. You're a doctor right?" Head trembling he glared at me from the corner of his eye. His lips worked, but no sound came out. "I've just severed your abdominal aorta."

He coughed. Blood and spittle dripping from his lips. He tried to speak, but nothing except gurgles escaped. Andrew looked at me, smiled, and then his eyes rolled back in his head, and he became dead weight against me.

With a grunt I yanked the blade out and shoved his body forward, quickly scooting away as I did so. Lifeless, Andrew pitched forward and collapsed. My eyes immediately locked onto the blood stain blooming across the back of his light gray shirt. I swallowed, eyes widening. What I'd done was sinking in.

 _I just killed someone._

Okay, yes it was in self-defense but shouldn't I feel something? Horror? Outrage? Disgust? At the moment all I felt was a deep satisfaction and _that_ scared me.

I brought my knees to my chest and hugged them to me. Blood dripped from the obsidian blade clutched loosely in my hand. I wiped it clean in the grass then held it aloft, and the razor edge glinted in the moonlight.

I lowered my arm and rested my chin on the tops of my knees. Oblivious to the world and my own wounds. More than anything I wanted to not be alone. In my mind's eye, I envisioned powerful arms encircling me, an equally steely chest at my back. The soothing lull of Osh'ikeille's purring and Uzkielle's snarly 'Zabin' jab. I missed them. If I closed my eyes and concentrated, I could practically feel their presence. Smell their natural, heady, musky cologne. Hear their infuriating clicking... yes, clicking. I could hear it. It sounded so real. So...

My eyes fluttered open. It did sound real. Too real. I tilted my head. Listening.

 _Maybe it's insects just being assholes..._

A warm wind brushed through my hair.

Click, click, click.

My head turned sharply in the direction of the wind, and I was suddenly on my feet. My poor heart had just calmed down, but now it beat with wild anticipation.

 _Calm down, Nina. Don't get excited over something easily explain-_

Barely audible over the wind, I heard the faint familiar clicking again.

I took a step in the direction I thought I heard it coming from and couldn't help myself. "O-osh'ikeille?"

Silence. Then I thought I heard it again. This time coming from behind me. I spun, "Uzkielle?!"

The woods were dark, but I thought I detected movement. The subtlest shifting of shadows. My eyes narrowed, and I took a step towards the trees. A high pitched whir startled me. I've heard that sound before. I took another step, trepidation nipping at my heels. The whine grew sharper and a memory jostled loose. When Uzkielle fought the queen, his shoulder cannon had made the same high pitched buzz.

I stopped dead in my tracks as every cell in my body crystallized into ice. My breath shuddered out of me, and I stared wide-eyed, seized by fear as three glaring red dots in a triangular pattern winked into existence over my heart...

* * *

 **A/N: Dun! Dun! DUN! That page was a pain in the ass to write! But, I think totally worth it by the end! Hehe did you guys like my homage to Riddick? (The sweet spot XD) OMG, I seriously hummed the 'This Is Halloween' song that entire chapter! XD Hope you all enjoyed the update. Sorry for mistakes. And thanks for all those favs, follows and reviews. You're all so amazing!**

 **~ PS: Holidays are nuts- Yo! I do not plan to post next week. Gonna take a break and spend time with the family- *cough, cough*- drink some nog ;D BUT! I will be right back at it next year XD ****Happy Holidays everyone. It's getting crazy out there, so everyone stay** **safe and have** **a blast!**

 **hellfire45: Lol, nope. Nina can not catch a break. XD**

 **crocfarmer: Lol, I sorry! I can't help it! It's so much fun to be cruel ;D Thanx, Felix!**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Your wish is my command :) Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx!**

 **Haylz93: LMOA, I want Baymax too! Yeah, I think it's worse than a shit creek- more like an ocean. Thank you so much! I'm so happy you love it! Stay awesome, Haylz! XD**

 **Shenandoah76209: Lol, the wannabe ;) But she kicked his fanged butt! Thanx for the love! XD**

 **Black cross0: I enjoyed Micheal Bays TMNT movie. The second movie was pretty good too. Also, I've written fanfiction in the Naruto verse but it's been a few years and I fell out of love with it :( But right now I'm solely focused on my AvP fanfiction. Lol, you caught that tidbit about Lo's biomask did you? (smiles cheekily) I give nothing away ;)**

 **angel897: She definitely let her guard down, but I think she made up for it by kicking his butt! Thanx, angel :)**

 **XxShadowfangxX: Lol, yes it was evil. I tend to do that ;) Hope you enjoyed the update! Thank you XD**

 **Kay: Lol, no brothers yet. But I think Nina dealt with the fanged fruitcake pretty well by herself. Yes, Nina deserves a break. I promise to be real nice to her soon ;) Evilness? Check, check! XD Thanx, Kay! Amazing chi'ytei? Check, check, ckeck! :)**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Thanx for the love XD**

 **Tenjp: You're wonderful too! Thanks so much for the love! :)**

 **Rasha007: Lol, yeah I wish I could've skipped over it too! Ah, thanks for the compliment. I do so love my cliffhangers. Moreover, I love the reactions. ;) Thanx so much, 007 badass! ;D**

 **KTCameleon: Hehe I think she did a pretty good job of kicking his can! Oh-no! What's gonna happen next?! (Giggles evilly) Thanks so much KT :)**

 **sousie: Hehe let's hope so sousie ;) Thanks for the love!**

 **Atlafan1286: Ah, thanx for the compliment :) Lol, I bet I've got you on the edge of your seat now ;)**

 **Guest reviewers: G1~ Lol, oops another cliffy ;) G2~ I will write more soon XD G3~ Lol, yes! Curse the cliffy!**

 **LunaSilvereyes: You're so sweet! Lol, bean brains?! XD They better hurry! Nina managed to defeat the fanged fruitcake but a Badblood?... *sighs* I really am mean to that girl ;) Lol, do the bubble wrap thing it's hilarious! Thanx, Luna of the Silvereyes!**

 **KittyKatt25: Definitely not good! Lol, hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx :)**

 **crystalga: Hehe oops another cliffy ;) Oh-no's! Will they get back in time? (smiles mischievously) Thanx, crystalga! I will continue XD**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Lol, Badblood got her now ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Zombiehorde13: Hehe are you teetering on the edge of that seat? I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Your reviews make me smile every time. Thank you, Zombie XD**

 **Sleepyhallow01: I love Baymax too! So glad you like him! Thanx for the love :)**

 **09sasha: She kicked that fanged fruitcakes butt good! Lol! Thanx, sasha XD**

 **Tenfangirl: Lol, I think I'm too mean to her sometimes. Poor thing. Tension definitely makes it more of a fun read. Speaking of- I hope I've left you on the edge of your seat again XD Thanx!**

 **Almadynis Rayne: I have trouble with grammar, but I'm working on it. Glad you find the story awesome! Thank you :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Damn you, Michael Bay!**

Silent as the grave, nothing, not even the wind dared take a breath. In the stillness, in the deafening silence of the night, only the hammering of my pulse could be heard. And I knew without a shadow of a doubt the hunter could hear it too. The blood soaking my shirt rapidly began to cool, and cling uncomfortably to my stomach. My knuckles ached from the death grip I had on the blade.

Trepidation mounted, and my senses kicked into overdrive. Suddenly, I began to notice the tiniest and the most inconsequential things. Beads of sweat were slowly trekking a path along my stiff spine. Something crawled over my left calf, raising goose flesh before hopping away. Thin rivulets of crimson trickled from my shoulder wound, spiraled down and around my forearm, collecting at my fingertips momentarily only to feed the earth, the same way Andrew's blood was.

None of these things mattered, and yet I noticed them all as I stared at the three angry red dots holding steady over my heart. For a long moment, I simply watched them sway, adjusting and readjusting over the black material of my tank. A strange sort of calm stole over me and even the rampant beat of my heart began to quiet. I was afraid, but I realized, I probably wasn't as afraid as I should've been.

It wasn't exhaustion, though I was weary to the bone, or a lack of understanding the perilous situation I was in but a profound, visceral awareness that elicited an even stronger emotion than fear... rage.

My eyes closed, and a breath shuddered out- taken aback by the sheer ferocity of the ire I felt. Slowly, my lids opened, and my brows slammed down as I stared at the glaring red dots. My chin raised, and my eyes followed the thin beams of light. The cloaked figure stood within the darker shadows of the bald cypress trees. The stealth field made the hunter almost undetectable to the naked eye, but I've seen the optical illusion it casts enough to know the way the shadows were bending was wrong.

My eyes narrowed on the silhouetted figure. If I so much as blinked, I'd lose sight of the hunter. My spine straightened, an instinctual reaction to recognizing just how much bigger my opponent was than me. Because even with the stealth field active, my eyes perceived a mountainous being.

"It was you," my hands fisted, and I barely suppressed the urge to take a threatening step forward. "You're the reason they left," I accused, my voice quiet but venomous.

The hunter made no movement, no sound, nothing that suggested he'd heard me and the red dots, in their triangular pattern, remained on my chest; spinning slowly as if to taunt me. Frighten me. Because one direct, or maybe even an indirect shot from that energy based weapon mounted to his shoulder rigging would end me.

The prolonged silence only made me angrier, and my tongue grew bolder and looser. "Foolish hunter. Whatever your beef with Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle, coming after an injured and weak human seems rather dishonorable don't you think?" I breathed, hoping to strike his pride the same way I did Uzkielle's the night of the barn fire. The twins' species had an intricate honor system, but of course, that didn't mean everyone adhered to it.

A harsh bark of laughter shattered the silence, causing my muscles ache with tension. The stealth field wavered and crackled sharply, outlining the hunter in arcs of blue energy.

"... _foolish_..." My own, distorted voice mocked as it was thrown back to me. Decloaked, the hunter took a step forward, out of the shadows and under the moonlight. My eyes widened, it was always a shock to see these massive predators up close. They were just so much bigger than humans. He was roughly somewhere between eight or nine feet tall. With a lean build similar to Osh'ikeille's, his taut skin stretched over well-honed muscle, its color muddled by the dark, but I doubted it was nearly as breathtaking as the twins' unique diamondback patterning. However, the helmet he wore was striking. As far as I know, no two helmets were identical, but there was something about the way his was shaped. With its sharp angles and a single strand of glyphs running parallel beneath the right view slit the helmet was akin to the one Uzkielle had donned after his original one was damaged.

It shouldn't have bothered me. So the helmet was ornate and familiar in the sense that it looked similar to Uzkielle's. So what? That didn't mean anything. And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was missing something important.

Fear fluttered in the pit of my stomach, but I was determined not to let it show. Fear is vital. It's the eyes on the back of your neck. The prickling between your shoulders. Our instinctual understanding that something bigger than ourselves is stalking us. Without it, we can not survive, but too much and the scale tips in favor of the predator. And the animal side of my brain knew this predator didn't give a rats ass about my weakened state.

"Why?" I asked, my eyes locking with the soulless, black pits in his helmet. I knew better than to meet the eyes of a predator who could squash me under foot with the same effort it took me to step on a spider, but if I was gonna die I wanted to look death straight in the eye. After all, I was only human. Bare-knuckle brawling with one of these bad boys was a first class ticket straight to the afterlife. However, how I went out was my choice, and I refused to go without a fight. Osh'ikielle and Uzkielle would've expected nothing short of my best, and even now I didn't want to disappoint them. The last thing I wanted was to give Osh'ikeille a reason to regret his choice in a mate or destroy the respect I'd fought to earn from Uzkielle. Because somehow they'd know.

The hunter growled and took another step in my direction.

I tensed, putting myself in a more defensive position. "They will kill you," I hissed through gritted teeth. I still wasn't sure what I was feeling, this strange sense of knowing, clairvoyance or bizarre bond that I shared with the brothers was foreign to me. I've been in love before, but it never felt anything even remotely close to this; this felt absolute. Nothing fantastical, or romantic like fate or destiny but the term _mate_ carried more weight than simply claiming it to be love. If this hunter killed me -and he probably would- the brothers would hunt him down and kill him.

The hunter trilled, his head cocking to the side. "... _the reason_..." Again my words were thrown back at me. The anger radiating off of him boiled the already humid night air. "Ooman," he hissed, his voice had an avalanche quality to it. As if he could bury you alive with his deadly, frigid tone alone. "MaaaTe... of the Star Breaker and Heavennnn's SpiTe, do you think I fear the wrath of the infamousss Paya Slayersss offspring?"

My brow furrowed in confusion.

 _Okay, aside from the holy shit factor that he can speak English better than Uzkielle, did he just call me the mate of the Star Breaker and Heaven's Spite? Is he talking about Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle? Offspring of the Paya Slayer? What the fuck does that even mean?!_

"Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle? You're talking about-"

The hunter threw his head back and roared. The savage and animalistic sound struck fear into the heart of the swamp. Hundreds of birds, hiding amongst the cypress branches suddenly took flight. And in the distance, I could hear several splashes as the bigger creatures of the swamp scurried back into the water.

My eyes widened, and my heart jerked in my chest like a snared rabbit. I balled my hands into fists, clenching the blade so tight the hilt ground painfully against the bones in my palm. I resisted the urge to clap my hands over my ears and scream, even though every fiber of my being wished to cower in fear. I couldn't- no, I wouldn't! If hearing Uzkielle and Osh'ikeille's name is what set him off then...

 _He called me their mate... does that... does that mean Uzkielle claimed me too? And why the hell does this asshat know?!_

The hunter suddenly moved, his speed made a mockery of the wind. One moment he was several yards away and the next he was towering over me. I gasped and stared up at him. He didn't touch me. He didn't have to. The eddy of his animosity and hate threatened to drown me where I stood.

The view slits were no longer blacked out, and I couldn't help the primal fear that seized me upon meeting those pale yellow orbs. There was nothing even remotely humane about those eyes. And I knew then that he wasn't simply going to hunt and kill me. He wanted to rip me apart. Not a hunt. An execution.

A growl rumbled in his chest, his eyes narrowed to slits, then he cloaked and disappeared. I felt a current of air as he passed, and I spun, eyes wild and darting around. I searched the shifting shadows of the glade and saw exactly what I'd expected... nothing.

"Why are you doing this?!" I shouted, unable to keep the quaver from my voice.

"... _why are you doing this_..."

My distorted voice road the back of the wind, and I swallowed hard.

His voice, dark and sinister whispered, "Fair... game..."

"What part of any of this is fair?!" I snarled. Only silence met my ears. Slowly, keeping my knife at the ready, I yanked my shirt over my head. Glad I'd opted for the sports bra instead of a pushup. With my teeth and a quick slash of the knife, I tore two strips from the back of the shirt not stiff with blood and tied them around the wounds I'd gotten from my earlier fight with Andrew.

 _Fuck! What do I do?!_

I had to fight back. I knew I had to fight but how do you fight something like this?

The soft earth sucked at my sneakers, making every step a struggle. I started backing towards the flipped car. Perhaps there was something in the trunk I could use in order to defend myself. My cell phone was missing, but it was a safe bet Andrew tossed it in the swamp long ago. I had my knife, but what good would that do me when the hunters reach was twice the length of my own?

 _Think, Nina! Think! What would Michael Bay do?!_

Well, too bad there weren't any helpful Autobot's hanging around. Hell, I'd take a Decepticon at the moment. Either way, they both packed some serious fire power. Of which, I had none. Or how about a bazooka? I'd TOTALLY take a bazooka right about now! Damn. Seriously?! No plot hole for me?! My trusty blade and I were gonna have to go low tech and primitive, and _Rambo_ the shit out of this fight!

My body froze as the three dots blossomed on my chest again, only to become perplexed as they traveled down my body then they moved off me. I turned to find the car, its engine still emitted a low hiss, and one of the tires wobbled as it lazily spun. I glimpsed the laser sights on the tire a nanosecond before a familiar whirring sound compelled my feet to move as if my sneakers had been given the gift of flight.

 _Damn you, Michael Bay!_

All at once a blistering wave of heat and a violent force threw me, and for the second time tonight I got to experience what it's like to be my favorite pair of panties in the dryer. The resounding boom vibrated my cells, rattled my teeth, and threaten to shred my ear drums. The blinding light so bright I slammed my eyes shut, and let loose a scream as I sailed through the air.

My body painfully slapped down in the swamp, filling my airways with fetid mud and water. I sat up in the knee-deep muck and spat the foulness from my mouth. Could I seriously, not get through one battle without being up to my tits in yuck?!

The ringing in my ears burrowed into my brain, and I groaned as the nasty water seeped into the strips of fabric and made my wounds sting. My body ached, and I was soaked and miserable, but I was alive.

Another explosion shook the ground, accompanied by a wave of heat. I flinched, my arms half way up when I noticed I still had the knife in my hand. I blew out a breath of relief, but the relief was short-lived. A roar thundered over the sound of the burning car, I turned and squinting at the intensity of the fire.

Of course, I couldn't see him, but I wondered how well he could see me, if at all. I had to be at least half a dozen yards away, but even I had trouble staring at the fire. I recalled Uzkielle's reaction to being surrounded by flame. I never got around to confirming whether or not their vision was thermal based but if it was then... then maybe I stood a chance. However, there was a problem with this theory. Even, if their vision is in the infrared spectrum that helmet was more than a means to breathe our atmosphere. Uzkielle's original helmet had been damaged during that fire. So who's to say that it doesn't give them the ability to see in different spectra? Not to mention, their other, ridiculously keen senses.

 _Sure, Nina-_ I slathered a generous amount of swamp gunk on my exposed skin. _-blow holes in your paper thin chance of survival!_

Warm, slimy, and gritty -why the hell women paid to bathe in this shit was beyond me- I rubbed more swamp gunk on my neck and face. At the very least even if he could still see me, maybe, I'd smell so offensive he'd think twice about giving me a hug.

On trembling legs, with the help of a snarl of cypress roots, I managed to get to my feet. Warily I eyed my surroundings, looking for the optical illusion of his stealth field. An ominous mist hung in the air, giving the swamp a very _Freddy_ _Krueger_ backdrop.

Something swam between my ankles and my hackles jumped to attention. I bit my tongue to keep from screaming and forced myself not to do anything rash, or girlie. There were other dangers in the swamp, besides the hunter. None were as deadly, but a bite from a cottonmouth or getting dragged below the water by a gator weren't pretty ways to die either.

The bog made it impossible to move without making a dangerous amount of noise. It sucked at my legs, every step a fight not to lose my balance, or my sneakers. The huge roots jutting out of the murky water aided my plight, while at the same time threatened to send me sprawling with one miss step. Forget being a ninja- a drunk water buffalo in the Ice Capades could move with more stealth than what I was managing.

The drying mud itched like crazy, but I resisted the urge to wipe it off. Making myself a big glowing red target would be counter-productive. Once I got back to the slightly less wet shoreline I could make my way back to the road and...

I stopped dead in my tracks.

 _And go where?_

Hell, I had no idea where _here_ even was. And it was only a matter of time before the hunter figured out I'd managed to hide my heat signature from him. That is if he hasn't already. Which honestly, would only increase the enjoyment out of the hunt for him. These guys liked a challenge, and like any good hunter, he'd adapt.

"Fuck," I breathed harshly, leaning my exhausted body against the trunk of a cypress.

 _I can't out run him. I can't fight him head on. Fuck. Fuck! What am I supposed to do?!_

Sliding the blade in the front of my shorts, I reached up and untucked my daddy's dog tags from my bra, glad I hadn't lost them. I slid my thumb across the raised letters, wiping away the crud. A few weeks of hellish training might've improved my stamina, but it couldn't have prepared me for this.

My brow creased in thought. What was it about humans that made us good game in their eyes? Worthy prey fights back. They don't go down easy, and they don't bow out quiet. Humans can shoot back, but strip us of our weapons and what are we left with? Especially when the predator had the physical strength to rip limbs off without breaking a sweat.

 _"...hulij-bpe ooman..."_

Uzkielle had called me reckless once, but he'd also said something else later about hunting humans. He'd said humans were cunning...

I tucked the dog tags back under the bra strap and took another look at my surroundings.

 _Cunning, neh?_

My head tilted back, and I eyed the branches above me.

 _Don't think like a human, think like one of them..._

The hunters liked the trees; they liked the vantage point to survey their prey and the element of surprise.

Shaking my head, I silently laughed at myself and grabbed the blade.

 _Funny how cunning goes hand in hand with crazy._

I cut the soiled and sagging makeshift bandage from my arm. Wedging myself inside an alcove of a sinker cypress, I leaned my weight completely against the tree's trunk and took several quick breaths before sinking the tip of the blade into my shoulder wound.

 _Fuck! Shit! Damn! Bug nuts!_

Warm blood trickled from the wound, taking several paths down the cracked and dried muck covering my arm. Teeth clenched in pain. My breaths came in short, sharp bursts which sounded ridiculously loud in the stillness, but at least I wasn't screaming profanities.

A hiss escaped my lips as I cupped my shoulder, massaging the wound and covering my hand in blood.

 _Alright, Uzkielle._ I smeared the blood across the rough bark. _Let's see just how reckless I can be..._

 _..._

Perched in the branches of a cypress, I stared down at the swamp below. Six trees were marked with my blood, forming a ring around a small, mostly root free area of murky water. I'd sealed the wound with mud - _hello dysentery_ \- and washed the blood from my arm and hands, before recovering my exposed skin.

The thermal signature of my blood should be enough to draw him out. If not the heat then the scent.

I'd begun working on a theory about possible weak points to exploit- there weren't any. Not really anyway. All I had was a theory. These hunters- these predators, their eyes are so deep set in their heads that their peripheral vision had to be comprised. Of course, that is, unless the helmet aided them in that aspect as well. My only real hope was that my initial speculation about their thermal vision held true even if only for a single opening. But, I also had to take into account this species other senses. Like their bizarre sense of smell. I'd seen Osh'ikeille scent me in the past, but oddly they don't have any visible noses. So I wondered if they were actually tasting the air. Perhaps an olfactory system like the Jacobson organ found in mouths of many critters, giving them a superior sense of smell. If that's true then the mud should help mask my scent.

 _Damn. That's a shit ton of what ifs!_

Sketchy shadows darted in the outermost edges of my vision, tricking my senses and making it harder to stay calm. My human heart was a dead giveaway and if it began to pound the hunter wouldn't need the scent of my blood to find me.

 _Stay calm, Neens. You're not a hot blonde so therefore you don't die in the horror movie- wait? Isn't it the other way around?!_

A tiny ripple ran through the oily water below. The breath in my lungs froze, and I held Osh'keille's blade to my chest, crouching down into a smaller target.

 _Easy. Other things live in these waters too._

Except most of them were headed to Barbados after hearing the hunter's blood-curdling roar.

My eyes followed the tiny waves back towards the shoreline. The fire cast an ominous glow on the waters edge, and I watched with rapt attention as another ripple caused seemingly by nothing, emanated from a dark patch of algae.

I tensed, awareness prickled needle sharp up and down my spine. Movement in the water. Another cascade of ripples. A zing of trepidation and excited anticipation shot through me. And I realized, this potent cocktail of fear and exhilaration translated into the thrill of the hunt.

 _I get it... this, this is why they hunt._

The ripples continued to subtly flow outward from a point near the shoreline. Breath held I waited patiently, waiting for the slightest confirmation of what every fiber of my being already seemed to know. For a moment, I thought maybe I'd lost my mind. Started seeing weird shimmers in the air because I _wanted_ to see them. But then, there was the telltale crackle. The hunter's stealth field spat veins and arcs of blue energy.

I smirked, remembering the way Osh'ikeille's cloaking mechanism became finicky when wet.

The hunter trilled angrily. The failing cloak outlined him perfectly, and admittedly, I felt a little giddy knowing I'd forced him to drop his best defense. Although, to be perfectly frank, using a stealth field when he was only hunting little ol' me seemed like overkill. I could understand needing it to hunt Xenomorphs but a tiny human woman?

My smirk turned feral. Actually, I felt honored by it. He was treating me like dangerous prey, and that in itself was a compliment.

The hunter emitted a low growl that sounded exactly like a gator's and jabbed at the controls on his gauntlet with a clawed finger, dispelling the cloak altogether. He stood almost in the exact spot I'd landed in, and where the water had reached my thighs, it barely reached his knees.

I rolled my shoulders, trying to loosen up. The guy had intimidation in spades.

His head slowly swiveled back and forth then the solid black view slits flashed red, and emitting a bizarre, indiscernible noise like the high pitch whine of an old camera. I tensed. I'd never seen the helmet do that before and I had no idea what he just did.

The hunter's head cocked in my direction, and my hackles jumped to attention. But then, his head cocked the other way. With another reptilian growl, he slowly moved towards my little circle of trees. The water sloshed quietly around his legs, making me envious of his stealth but at least even he couldn't move soundlessly in the swamp.

He paused for a moment, his head tilted back, and I got the distinct impression he was scenting the air.

 _That's it, fugly. Find the wounded prey._

My fingernails dug into the branch I crouched on, body strung tight and ready to spring. I only had one shot at this, and it would undoubtedly be my only shot. For my own, sense of honor, I had to know that I could've stood with Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle, and felt the same pride.

Knee deep in murky water, the hunter stalked towards the first tree and ran the tips of his fingers through the blood smeared across its trunk. His long dreads fanned over his shoulders as his head snapped towards the blood marking the tree I crouched in.

The hunter stalked closer, and he must've felt the same electrifying current of anticipation I did because twin blades slid from the housing inside his left gauntlet with an almost inaudible _shink_.

The same instinct that gives us the ability to run into fires and save people; it floods us with adrenaline to give us the strength to lift cars off of children; take on opponents that have us outclassed in every way and come out victorious- that primal instinct is what took over me.

The muscles in my legs bunched, and my spine straightened. That adrenaline hit, and my heart went wild. With a warrior's battle song in my throat I leapt.

The hunter's head snapped up. The view slits flashed red. He roared.

Over stimulated and hyper aware with the adrenaline pounding in my veins. I perceived everything within the single beat of a hummingbird's wings.

Moonlight bounced off the blades in my periphery. Death was coming.

Pale yellow and enraged orbs met my furious emerald ones. But this time, they did not instill fear within me.

 _"... yeyinde..."_ That's what Uzkielle called me. Brave one.

Those pale yellow orbs widened, and I could see my snarl reflected in the helmet's visors. A hunter's helmet is more like a mask, it doesn't protect the entire skull or neck. Strong, black coils were strung protectively around his throat but when the hunter's head tilted back to meet my attack he exposed a weak point between the two.

The tip of the blade plunged into the thick cords of his neck just under his mandibles. A rush of warm phosphorus green blood coated my fingers and palms. I shoved with all my might, the blade sank in deeper, until the curve of the knife caught on bone.

He howled, and I tucked myself close to his neck and shoulder. Pain grayed my vision, and my breath escaped in an explosive gasp. He'd been aiming for my head, and my quick response is all that saved me from instant death. But I hadn't been able to avoid the blow of his wrist blades completely and a path fire burned from mid back to hip.

"Fuck!" I screamed, barely managing to hang on. Breath hissing through clenched teeth, I tried to punch the hilt of the blade, drive it in deeper but his claws sank into my shoulder, and he ripped me away, which also wrenched the knife from his neck. He howled in rage and threw me.

Weightless. Foliage flashed by in a blur, and the warm night air whipped my hair.

My back painfully slapped the water, the tremendous force he'd thrown me with, drove me beneath the surface. The disgusting water burned my nasal passages and the back of my throat. I squeezed my eyes shut, and flailed for a second until my toes brushed the slimy bottom and I used it as leverage to push myself back up to the surface.

Coughing, I splashed around in confusion for a moment before I realized I could stand in the chest high water. Tears welled up from the grit in my eyes, and I fiercely wiped at my face. I blinked, several times, trying to get my bearings. Arms up out of the water, the blade miraculously still in my hand, I cautiously began to spin in a circle, but a low menacing growl stopped me cold.

An involuntary frisson of fear shot from the base of my spine up into my hairline, and I shuddered at the feel of the hunter's gaze boring into the back of my skull.

He was behind me. He could see me. The mud washed from my skin after being plunged into the water.

I glanced at the knife in my hand, feeling the burn in my muscles to keep it aloft. My body trembled from the exertion and the constant assault of adrenaline. And agony lanced my back. Humans were not built to take on predators like this, but I was determined to be defiant until the end.

 _"...laugh, Nina, and what scares you will hold no power over you..."_

My daddy's voice brought a tiny smile to my lips, and I tightened my grip on the hilt of the knife.

Slowly, I turned. The wound in my back, darkening the muddy water around me with blood. I found Death, met his enraged pale yellows behind the helmet and laughed.

"You left yourself exposed," I taunted, my eyes briefly flicking to the phosphorous green blood smeared all over his tawny skin. I missed the jugular vein, but I'd take victory in the fact that I'd cut him deep. A feat I doubted many humans have ever managed.

His eyes narrowed to slits, the constant low growl he'd been emitting deepened becoming far more feral. The hunter straightened slightly, retracting the wrist blades. He dragged his fingers through the blood on his chest and stared at it as he worked it between his fingers for a moment. With a snarl, his head jerked back up, and he roared at me, making me tense up in anticipation. He regarded me and trilled angrily. And I noted the subtlest change in his stance, then the hunter slowly reached up and disconnected the hoses from his helmet.

My spine straightened. I got the distinct impression that the removal of the helmet signified the hunter was taking me as a serious challenge. This fight may have started out as one of revenge, or a vendetta, or whatever, but I think wounding him earned my skull a spot amongst the array of alien claws, fangs, and vertebrae aligning the leather bandolier strapped across his thick chest or maybe next to the heavy, broken alien skull with its impressive fangs mounted on his shoulder like a piece of armor.

The hunter's unintelligible clicks were sharp in the silence. Eyes fixed on me; he fanned those claw-tipped fingers over the front of the helmet and slowly removed it. My hackles prickled at the sight of his face. He had the same bone structure, heavily hooded brow, a broad head that still reminded me vaguely of a triceratops bony frill, and of course, mandibles but that's where the facial similarities ended. Like humans, I imagined this species was very culturally diverse. Different bloodlines equaled distinct individual traits. This hunter didn't have the small triangular horns running along the outer edge of his skull like the twins. He had long black quills along his brow ridge and a unique extra set tusks on the bottom mandibles.

I swallowed hard, not afraid to admit that he intimidated the shit out of me.

The hunter dropped the helmet in the water, arched his back, threw his arms wide and with mandibles flared aggressively he roared. A sound so monstrous it made the water ripple in terror.

Switching my stance -though it proved difficult in the chest high water and slippery footing- I kept my blade raised, elbow bent back and towards my face, and stretched out my other hand and tauntingly gestured with my fingers for him to come at me. "You are one _ugly_ , mother fucker!"

He bellowed a challenge and charged me.

"Bring it, _Happy Feet_!" I snarled, heart in a chaotic frenzy- adrenalizing me.

Movement in the corner of my eyes. A snarly bark tightened the point between my shoulder blades and neck. The swamp seemed to come alive. I heard splashing, then suddenly, a wall of water pummeled me, dragged me back under. Something grabbed me. A powerful python coiling around my midsection and yanked me, my back against a steel wall of flesh.

 _That's not a python!_ My eyes popped open, and I immediately snapped them shut as the water stung my eyes. Breath escaping my lungs in a bubbly rush.

The hunter had found me. I flailed. He dragged me up and out of the water.

I gasped for air as I breached the surface, "Get off of me!" Blade raised, I started to bring it down on the heavily muscled arm holding me, only to have him catch my strike with his free hand.

"Zabin!"

My heart did a little flip-flop, and my breaths came in low rapid bursts. Eyes wild, my head slowly turned in the direction of that familiar deep, growly voice and my remaining breath escaped in a rush. "Uzkielle..."

Uzkielle, his powerful back to me, had engaged the hunter that attacked me, but even in the midst of their violent and loud battle, he managed to catch my eye. And the possessiveness I glimpsed in those mismatched orbs before he looked away sent a shiver through my entire being.

A low innocuous rumble vibrated my bones. I tore my eyes away from the fight and blinked up at Osh'ikeille as he changed his grip, cradling me. All at once, the fight left me. Instinctually, my body relaxed, curling into the strong arms and chest protectively housing my much smaller frame. My emerald orbs met amber ones. Watching as a storm of anger and mirrored possessiveness brighten them to wolf gold.

Emotions pelted me with the speed and impact of a machine gun. But I fought against the torrent because I didn't want to cheapen the pride I'd felt for myself tonight by doing something as human as blubbering like an idiot in his chest.

Staring into his eyes, I smiled softly at him, but it didn't last. Instead of getting all weepy, I glared at him, leaned up and grabbed the underside of his helmet and growled, "What the fuck took you so damn long?!"

* * *

 **A/N: Woohoo! Happy New Year everyone! Guess who's back?! Lmao the brothers are back! And Nina discovered the thrill of the hunt! "You are one ugly, mother fucker!" Yes, I just had to use _that_ line! Anyway, I have an announcement! The extra week really helped me develop this chapter. My updates will always be on Thursdays but from now on 'IF' I feel a chapter deserves or needs a little extra love then that update will be pushed back to the following Thursday. The readers (All you awesome peeps!) and my characters only deserve my best efforts. Yautja definitions at the bottom. Quick reminder: Osh'ikeille (osh-ee-keel) is Pakkun and Uzkielle (ooz-ki-el) is Lobomon. **

**Thanks so much for the love guys. All those favs,** **follows, and reviews light up my day when my email trills the Yautja clicks! Hehe. Yes. Yes. Uber predator nerd right here yo!** **Oh- and of course, MWAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA** **cliffhanger! XD I'm back too, yo! Holla!**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Lol, I think she's a badass too. :D**

 **XxShadowfangxX: Hehe. Oh, yes. I so _lurve_ my cliffhangers. Hope you had a great holiday! XD **

**crocfarmer: Hi Felix! And all of Felix's friends! Glad you enjoyed the fight scene. Hope this one got your hearts racing too ;)**

 **Shayde F Revelle: Lol, glad you liked it :D Thanks for the love!**

 **Haylez93: Ah, thanks for the compliment. I always worry about my character building but I think Nina is my best by far. Hope you had a great holiday too! Thanks so much for all the love! :)**

 **miu sakurai 73: Lmoa, I loved your review. You're so sweet. Thanx XD**

 **Tenjp: Haha, clean up crew. That was funny. We'll see what's up with Danny later. Thanx for the love :)**

 **Black cross0: Thanx for the love! I hope you enjoyed the update! :D**

 **Reckless: I'm glad you enjoyed the fight between Nina and Dante. I think she honed her inner badass this chapter ;) Hope the delay was worth it! Thanx, Reckless :)**

 **Atlafan1286: Lol, thanx so much for the love! Did you fall off the chair? XD Take a breath the boys are back!**

 **Shenandoah76209: Definitely a bigger problem but now Nina's got backup! XD Thank you!**

 **Tenfangirl: I enjoyed my holiday. I hope you did as well whilst teetering on your seat. Hehe, did you fall off? XD Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx! :)**

 **KTCameleon: Aaah best chapter ever! Thank you! Lol, I hope this one excited you even more ;)**

 **1WhoLoves2ReadAlot: Ah, you're awesome too! Thank you! XD**

 **angel897: Thank you, angel! Hope you enjoyed the update! :)**

 **Rasha007: Lol, I enjoyed the heck out of the Riddick reference too. Too bad, she didn't have a tea cup handy XD I think it's safe to assume she was having a very bad day.. up until the end ;) Thanx, Rasha007**

 **Kay: Yes. Yes. Yes! Like the Darkside, the evilness flows freely through me! Lol, I'm super stoked you enjoyed the action scene. More on the BadBlood later. Promise. ;) Hope you enjoyed your holiday- now back on pins and needles you go, lol XD Chi'ytei!**

 **GrimmaulDee: Honestly, after I posted the previous chapter I wanted to take it back and make Dante suffer longer too XD Glad you enjoyed it! Thanx! :)**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: So glad you liked the action! Hope the action in this chapter was just as good! Thank you so much, Emperor! :)**

 **Guest Reviewers: G1~ I will write more soon :) G2~ Lol, yup another cliffy XD G3~ Thank you so much! I think she handled herself pretty well ;) G4~ after reading your review, I seriously thought about making her throw her hands and say "Alright. Fuck this I'm out." XD**

 **09sasha: Hope you had a great holiday! Thanx so much, sasha! :D**

 **KittyKatt25: Lol, yes, I agree. I am very cruel to Nina. I swear I'll give the poor girl a break ;) Thanx!**

 **crystalga: Lol, glad you loved it. Hope you had an awesome holiday! And guess what? They're back! Thank you so much, crystalga! :)**

 **FFEShadowfoot: Hehe, I had fun with the Riddick reference. The tea cup reference came to me first, but I couldn't use it for that chapter. Lmoa, 'fangirl moment'. Did you like what happened next? XD Hope you had a good holiday! Thank you, FFE**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Aah thank you so much! You're pretty wonderful yourself! :)**

 **CieloDistante: Lol, a manual for idiots. There probably should be. Oh, no this alien definitely did not know the hell he brought upon himself for going after Nina! XD Hehe, I actually wrote a scene where Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle did come back and kill Dante, but decided Nina needed to it for herself. Lol, it's okay if you worry about Danny. I worry about him too when he's not in my chapters. Thanks for all the love. You're awesome XD**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Thank you so much for the love XD**

 **Almadynis Rayne: "I'll kill you with my teacup." Lol. Is actually what came to me first but of course, there was no way to write it in there XD Aah, thank you. Thursdays are my favorite too! ;D**

 **Zombiehorde13: I hope you had a fantastic holiday too! Lol, I'm not sure if she'll ever truly have 'peace' with her crazy boys around but maybe a nice break. ;) Thanks for all the love XD**

 **Stalkingyoumastersama2738: Lol, oh yes! The cliffhanger XD Thanks so much! I'm glad you love it!**

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 **flor da aurora: Thank you! Hope you had a good holiday too. :)**

 **Yautja Hobo: Haha, Yautja Hobo I like it. Also, I think I kinda like Lobomon a bit more too. XD**

 **BloodedHuntress: I dig your name. Aah, I'm one of your favorites! That gave me warm fuzzies :) Thanks so much for the compliment and the love! Hope you enjoyed the update! :D**

* * *

 **Yautja dictionary**

 **hulij-bpe: crazy**

 **yeyinde: brave one**

 **zabin: insect**

 **paya: god/ conquering warrior**

 **ooman: human**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hell Don't Know This Fury**

Staring into Osh'ikeille's intense lupine colored orbs, I smiled softly at him, but it didn't last. Instead of getting all weepy, I glared at him, leaned up and grabbed the underside of his helmet and growled, "What the fuck took you so damn long?!"

Osh'ikeille made a low, rumbly sound of grievance and huffed, easily pulling out of my grasp. His eyes flicked towards the fight, and in the next instant, his grip tightened and he leapt into the trees. Osh'ikeille's swift and powerful movements were ridiculously smooth, nothing like the tumble dryer ride I'd experienced in the car crash. He took us up into the canopy above the swamp and then proceeded to gently deposit me on a cluster of branches. His eyes flicked down, and I followed his line of sight. We weren't all that high, maybe two or three stories off the water. It gave me a bird's eye view of Uzkielle and the other hunter.

Osh'ikeille raised his forearm, staring at my blood smeared across his skin and gear. His fierce gaze found mine and he leaned toward me, growling softly. Muffled by the helmet, he clicked unintelligibly. The sounds sharp and angry. His nearness forced me to tilt my head way back just to keep eye contact, and I watched the war rage within his seething bright golds.

I touched his chest, spreading my fingers over his heart, loving the way my touch encouraged it to beat harder and the way he rumbled softly at the contact. My expression grew pensive, and the hunter's loathing words flooded my head.

 _..."Mate of the Star Breaker and Heavens Spite, do you think I fear the wrath of the infamous Paya Slayers offspring?"..._

"Osh'ikeille," I breathed, my brow scrunching in determination. I had to know. "Why did you come back?"

I stared intently into his eyes. Understanding exactly, what it was he was feeling. The instinct to protect his mate, to make sure I was okay, battled with his potent desire to rip the head off the one who hurt me. But I had to hear it. Needed him to tell me that what I was feeling wasn't some crazy version of Stockholm syndrome. Because falling this hard, this fast seems surreal.

Osh'ikeille cocked his head, eyes narrowing as if I'd confused him. But thanks to the strange and alien bond we shared, the language barrier didn't inhibit his ability to glean what I wanted from him.

Surprise flit through me as his hand came up and gently, ran the tips of his claws along the collum of my throat, eliciting a shiver. He rumbled quietly, the sound somehow managing to be both comforting and possessive.

 _"... mine to protect..."_

I gasped. Shocked at hearing the words I'd spoken the night they left played back at me. Osh'ikeille held my eyes a moment longer then suddenly, dropped out of sight.

Fingers trembling, I clutched at the tree's trunk awkwardly with the knife still in hand, leaned forward, and looked down. Osh'ikeille, ever the patient and calculative predator, hung back, watching as Uzkielle attacked the unnamed hunter with a savagery I've only ever witnessed in feral dogs. Then again, Osh'ikeille may be keeping himself as a barrier between me and the brutal battle. And of course, there was always their rules of honor.

My eyes fixed on Uzkielle or at least tried. You'd think, with all that muscle, Uzkielle wouldn't be able to move that fast, but my pooped brain was having a hard time discerning everything my eyes were trying to feed it. The effects of the adrenaline had worn off, and the meteoric drop in energy was making the world do this weird double exposure, spinny thing.

I sucked in a sharp breath. Skin prickling painfully from an abrupt chill. Bile rose in the back of my throat, and I leaned my sweaty forehead against the rough bark, closing my eyes, and swallowing several times to try and keep it in check. If I accidently puked on Osh'ikeille's head, I'd never live it down.

A vicious roar sent an involuntary tremor skating up my spine; a high pitched whine and something like a thunderclap; and all of a sudden the world shook violently. My heart lurched, and in an instant, I went from brain dead to hyper aware, over-caffeinated energizer bunny, as my overworked and underpaid adrenal glands hit me with a payload of 'WAKE THE FUCK UP!'.

My eyes flashed open, and I threw my arms around the trunk just as my legs slipped from the branches. I yelped, wincing from the pain in my lower back and shoulder, and the bark scraping the inside of my arms. My clumsy hold on the knife made it hard to grip the trunk, and eventually, I'd either have to give up the knife or risk falling.

The tree was struck again, and I surrendered the knife to gravity in order, to gain better purchase. Over the hammering of my pulse in my ears and labored breathing, I heard the ferocious sounds of the fight below me. Awkwardly, I craned my neck to look over my shoulder and peek down. I swallowed hard. Now that I was dangling, the drop looked a hell of a lot higher.

Several feet beneath my swaying sneakers, the trunk of the tree smoldered and smoked. I strained my neck to get a better look and realized the adjacent trees and even several surrounding ones had taken serious damage. It took me a second to understand and connect the dots, but another resounding clap of thunder and a blast of heat dangerously close to my face cleared it up for me. I screamed, tucking my face into my shoulder and pinching my eyes shut as branches and burning foliage rained from the canopy above my head. The cypress swayed so hard I could hear the gunfire-like crack of the splintering wood.

Below me, I heard Osh'ikeille's roar of rage twine with Uzkielle's feral snarl and chanced a glance. Cautiously I shifted, the tree groaned at the slightest movement, and my already bristled hackles jabbed at me like a needle happy acupuncturist.

Even in my precarious disposition of hanging like a hunk of bleeding chum over a shark tank, it wasn't difficult to get a clear picture. Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle, their tense backs to my line of trees, were hunched and slowly circling, voracious wolves preparing for the kill. The unnamed hunter -that bitch ass punk! had forced the brothers back by firing at me with the cannon on his shoulder. The weapon, still glowing a bright orangey-red from the energy discharge was aimed directly at me.

Rage burned like bile up the walls of my throat. I refused to let this mother fucker use me as a pawn against my mates. My eyes snapped to the water below, then shot to Uzkielle as he suddenly, jerked the hoses from his helmet and ripped it off. With a ferocious roar, he tossed the helmet aside, and it splashed somewhere beneath me. I've seen Uzkielle angry; this wasn't angry, this, wasn't even rage, this was the embodiment of hate. And even, Osh'ikielle, who always remained so collected, seemed to be affected by the maelstrom, followed suit and tore his helmet off.

The muscles in my arms shook from the deep burning ache and began to tremble. The constant flexing of the muscles in my back was pure agony. Blood still flowed freely from the laceration, soaking into the already wet fabric of my shorts and trickling down my thigh in dirty pink rivulets. I cast a quick glance at the water once again before turning my head away, closing my eyes, and pressing my forehead against the tree. Wisps of smoke curled around my legs, the acrid smell filling my lungs as I took a shuttering breath and steeled my resolve.

 _I ain't got time to bleed..._

My eyes flew open. Grim determination set my jaw, and I grappled with the cypress. "Osh'ikeille-" My flat, soggy sneakers slipped out from under me, and the bark scraped my knees. "-shit! Uzkielle!" Focused on trying not to fall, I didn't dare attempt to look at them. And I knew without seeing that neither of them turned their eyes away from their prey. But there was no mistaking the feel of their attention as it snapped to me and my insides quivered at the intensity. "You two chose me for a reason-" With a grunt, I finally got my legs under me. "-now lay some fucking hate on that bitch!"

Simultaneously, I kicked off and let got. My ears rang with the twins' fierce battle cry. A thunder clap and a wave of blistering heat. The canopy above exploded just as I plunged back into the water.

I quickly surfaced, coughing to catch my breath only to dive back under as a shower of burning branches and foliage rained down. Something big swam passed me, and I tried very hard not to think about what it was. Breath held I wove my way around the cypress roots, blindly searching for the knife, and ignoring the fact that I was a wounded, bleeding animal, dicking around in a gator's home turf. But a gator can suck my left nut right now!

Lungs starving for oxygen, I surfaced and wiped swamp gunk from my face as I searched for the battle that I could hear even beneath the water. I spun in the chest high water, my eyes immediately locking onto Uzkielle and Osh'ikeille as they tag teamed the unnamed hunter several yards away. The fucker was fighting dirty, wielding his shoulder cannon the way _Gul'dan_ wielded fel magic in _Warcraft_.

 _He's definitely as ugly as Gul'dan. Hell, the name fits._

Uzkielle went for Gul'dan's midsection like a linebacker, wrapped his arms around Gul'dan and drove him back. While Uzkielle kept Gul'dan busy, Osh'ikeille snuck up from behind and ripped the weapon from his shoulder gear. Gul'dan roared, laced his fingers above his head and brought the full strength of both of his arms down on Uzkielle's back. My heart leapt in alarm, but Uzkielle snarled and threw Gul'dan like a cheap paperweight.

Gul'dan hit the water, sliding backward several feet in a crouch, he used the momentum to his advantage and grabbed the spindly trunk of a young tree and whirled himself to face Oshi'keille and attacked. Midair, Gul'dan's wrist blades extended, glittering in the moonlight that broke through the trees. Osh'ikeille tossed his head back and stared up at the descending hunter with a roar. The sharp clang of metal rent the night as Osh'ikeille caught the blades with the staff of his double-bladed weapon I'd since learned from the first encounter with the Xenomorphs was a combistick.

Gul'dan threw his weight into the attack, the wrist blades coming dangerously close to Osh'ikeille's face. In a move my eyes barely perceived, Osh'ikeille dropped in the thigh high water, ducked under the other hunter's arm, collapsed the combistick and delivered a powerful roundhouse style kick to Gul'dan's ribcage.

I dove under the water, desperately searching until my fingers came across something metallic and smooth. I surface and spread my fingers over Uzkielle's sharply angled helmet. A pained howl jerked my gaze back towards the fight. Gul'dan wasn't looking so hot, phosphorus green blood oozed from the neck wound I'd inflicted, and from a nasty laceration stretching across his gut that nearly eviscerated him.

Osh'ikeille spun his combistick, its blade stained with the blood of his enemy. Osh'ikeille was bloody too, but his arms weren't coated in phosphorus green the way his brother's were. Uzkielle held no weapon. The steely muscle of his shoulders and arms rippled beneath his taut skin and it was _really_ difficult to rip my eyes away from him as he stalked towards Gul'dan with the intent to kill.

I blinked at the helmet in my hands and flipped it over. The inside of the helmet was a complex piece of technology. Like _C-3PO's_ guts.

 _Be fascinated later, Nina, you're running out of time!_

Taking a breath, I went back under and awkwardly floundered while holding the helmet up to my face. I had no idea if this would work, but the Trekkie fan girl in me said _fuck yes!_ The water stung my eyes, and the helmet, built for massive foreheads like a Klingons was being difficult. My nose touched something, a button, or sensor because the view slits flashed red, and I had the weirdest sensation that my eyeballs were just scanned.

Without warning, the swamp went from murky to an alarming array of bright, vivid yellows, oranges, greens, blues, and reds outlining the world and leaving the negative space black. This wasn't your typical inferred vision, and I wondered if the helmet had adjusted to my eyesight or if Osh'ikeille's species saw more depth than I initially assumed.

My lungs were beginning to ache, and I feverishly searched for the knife. The cypress roots stood out in stark greens, edged in a yellow halo and the blade laid against one of the roots in negative black. It was only a few feet down, and I furiously kicked. The ache in my lungs quickly became a not so subtle burn. I reached for the knife, my fingers grazing its hilt, and I froze. A snake, bright red and ringed yellow in the helmet's vision, swam out from between the roots right under the blade. The thermal readouts were so sensitive my eyes could see the individual scales. It wove around the bend of my elbow, its belly scales smooth as they brushed my skin in passing.

Once it swam away, I snatched up the knife and kicked my way back up. Pretending I didn't see the other large, red heat signatures, lurking in the corners of my vision.

I gasped for air, pulling the helmet away from my face. My feet found the bottom, and I half hopped, half swam towards the bloody battle that was quickly nearing its end. I've seen plenty of alien death matches, but what the movies missed is the sound. Hearing the real thing would forever pale the most terrifying moments in alien movie history.

The crack of bone as Osh'ikeille punched Gul'dan so hard in the jaw his head snapped to the side. Gul'dan roared and went for Osh'ikeille, but Uzkielle stepped in, and the two apex predators sank their talons into each others' shoulders as they grappled. Pushing and shoving one another, the wet tearing flesh as those talons sheared skin and muscle.

I saw a gruesome fight like this once. But it had been on _National Geographics_ , and the combatants had been a pack of wolves versus a grizzly. This was kind of like that, only far more brutal and terrifying.

Osh'ikeille started to move up alongside his brother but hesitated when he spotted me. Osh'ikeille suddenly spun in my direction, and he let loose a furious bark that caused my heart to pound harder. I couldn't interpret the sound, but it got Uzkielle's attention too. Uzkielle's head jerked in my direction, and he roared.

Without warning, Osh'ikeille thrust the spear end of his combistick into the ground and then raced towards me in the knee length water.

 _What the fuc-_

A deep throaty growl came from behind me. The muscles in my back yanked my spine straight as fear drop kicked my brain. I knew that familiar sound far too well.

Slowly I started to turn, the beat of my heart so loud it drowned out Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle's furious roars. The bad boy behind me barely visible in the murky water. I saw nothing but a great shadow then all I saw was teeth.

 _Well, shit. That's what I get for telling a gator to suck my left nut! Bad day! Bad day! Bad day! Bad day!_

I screamed and choked on water. Turbulent waves broke against my body. Osh'ikielle's bellow of rage. The snap of powerful jaws. I blinked water from my eyes and stared with my mouth agape as Osh'ikielle fucking wrestled a gator almost twice as long as I was tall. Osh'ikeille snarled, and the breath in my lungs froze as I realized the gator had his arm in its jaws. If the gator death rolled, it could rip his arm off. Osh'ikeille must've known this too because he suddenly hefted the massive reptile out of the water. The gators powerful body whipped wildly, but Osh'ikeille hugged it to him, exposing its unprotected belly. His wrist blades flashed out and with a snarl he slashed the gator from groin to throat. The reptile continued to struggle, spilling its own viscera into the water. When it finally hung dead, Osh'ikeille met my eyes, and I gave him an almost imperceptible nod of gratitude then quickly whirled away before he could try and stop me.

Osh'ikeille roared at me as I ran, my sights set on Gul'dan. I was done being prey. Jaw clenched in determination. I flexed my fingers loosely around the hilt.

Gul'dan's mandibles flared out, the bottom ones broken by Osh'ikeille's brutal punch. Uzkielle barked in dark amusement as he plunged his hand inside Gul'dan's open maw, grabbed the lower jaw and jerked sharply. The sickening crack of breaking bone echoed in the shell of my ears. Gul'dan fell to his knees, and I could foresee his death. Uzkielle was literally going to rip his head off.

Uzkielle changed his grip.

My heart sped into a frenzy, feeding my aching muscles blood, singing with the last vestiges of adrenaline.

The thick cords of muscle in Uzkielle's arms and back began to coil and bunch.

I dropped the helmet. I had only seconds.

"Uzkielle!"

He stiffened. Straightening slightly so that his mismatched orbs peeked out from under his hooded brow. And I shivered at the savage predator barely caged behind those eyes. It scared me, but I dare not let Uzkielle see it. I locked gazes with him and refused to back down. A silent understanding passed between us. Something that couldn't be conveyed by mere words and Uzkielle didn't try and stop me as I jumped up, fisted my left hand in Gul'dan's dreads and yanked. Gul'dan made a gurgly growl and tried to reach for me, but with a vicious snarl Uzkielle grabbed his wrist and with a sharp twist snapped the bone at the elbow. Gul'dan howled, his broken mandibles flared out and trembled.

I leaned in close to Gul'dan's head until I could see his pale yellow orb staring at me in my peripheral vision, but my eyes were all for Uzkielle. And I could feel the heat of Osh'ikeille's gaze boring into me as well. "Remember when I said they'd kill you," I rasped, pressing the blade into the exposed skin of his throat under the jaw. Watching, the thick jugular vein, beat against the razor edge. "I lied."

Their hides are tough, their muscles thick, but the blade sank in deep, and it took all of my strength to slit his throat. Warm arterial spray coated my hands, splashed my face and bathed Uzkielle in phosphorus green. Gul'dan gurgled a roar, his pale yellows wide as they stared into mine. I saw no fear in his eyes. Just surprise. He hadn't expected me, a human, to deliver the killing blow.

I held on. Forced myself to watch the life drain from his eyes. Taking a life wasn't something I'd forget nor should I forget. In the following days to come, I imagined the events of this night would haunt my dreams but at the moment, with the thrill of the hunt humming in my veins and the brothers to bear witness, it felt badass to be the predator.

When Gul'dan's final breath left his body, my strength went with it. Uzkielle realized this before I did because he was instantly there to catch me as I fell from Gul'dan's back. I barely heard the splash of Gul'dan's body hit the water with my face pressed into Uzkielle chest and the heavy beat of his heart filled my ears. His lower mandibles flared out slightly as he snorted at me.

"Zabin," he grumbled.

I smacked his chest and growled, "Don't ruin my cool moment!"

His head jerked up, and I groaned as the flexing of his arms awakened the pain in my back. His eyes flicked to me then back up, a low growl rumbling in his chest. I tilted my head and watched as Osh'ikeille carefully approached. Uzkielle's growl grew in volume, his muscles tensing and bunching.

"Ki'cte mei'hswei," Osh'ikeille barked.

Uzkielle continued to growl, but he made no move against Osh'ikeille as he carefully maneuvered me in Uzkielle's grip in order to get a better look at my back.

"You are so not allowed to use the Devil's silly putty again!" I griped, my words breathy and not nearly as forceful as I wanted them to be. "Better yet put me down!" I pushed against his chest. Uzkielle lowered his head, the tusks of his mandibles brushing my cheeks as he growled directly into my face.

I bared my teeth right back at him. I was hurt, bleeding, exhausted, but most of all I was still fucking pissed at them. "Put. Me. Down!"

"Zabin," he rumbled menacingly.

"Stubborn jackass!"

His eyes widened in fury, and his spine arched as if to roar but apparently Osh'ikeille was at the end of his patience.

"Ki'cte!"

Simultaneously, Uzkielle and I turned on Osh'ikeille and snarled back.

"He started it!"

Osh'ikeille huffed at us in exasperation.

 _Well, this is getting nowhere fast!_

I sighed and rubbed a hand over the feverishly hot wound in my shoulder. If an infection hadn't already set in it would soon.

"Uzkielle," I said, annoyed by how the soft tone of my voice exposed my conflicting emotions. Uzkielle cocked his head and looked down at me, Osh'keille drew close and did the same. Without warning, I reared back, grabbed the sides of Uzkielle's face, tucked my chin and headbutted his forehead with the crown of my skull.

"Fuck!" I reeled back at the same time Uzkielle did. Uzkielle, more shocked than anything shook his head and snarled at me. "That's for fucking leaving!" I growled. Uzkielle's head tilted sharply, his lower mandibles stretching out as he began to snarl, but the snarl died against my lips as I ducked under his jaw and kissed the vital pulse point of his throat. "And that's for coming back," I whispered.

Uzkielle leaned away and for a split second I saw the confliction of his emotion war within his mismatched orbs before the shock wore off and he regained control.

Osh'ikeille rumbled softly, and when I turned to look at him, he quickly moved in and touched his forehead to mine.

"I'm still mad." And I was, but I was also glad to have them back.

Osh'ikeille made a strange low warble noise in the back of his throat. The one that reminded me of the keening sound dogs made when upset.

A raspy chuckle escaped me. "Were you worried?" I teased.

Osh'keille straightened, and I wondered if I'd ticked him off. But found myself staring in confusion as he lifted his arm and tapped at the wrist-comp, housed in the gauntlet. A hologram blinked into existence, and I watched as the recorded image of myself leap from the trees above Gul'dan and jam the knife into his neck. I realized the implication of that recording as it disappeared and Osh'ikeille lowered his arm.

Confused, I looked from Uzkielle to Osh'ikeille. "You guys were watching me?"

Osh'ikeille's chin dipped in confirmation.

"Why?"

Osh'ikeille's hand came up and gently rested on my shoulder. "Sain'ja," he said in a gravely voice.

I licked my lips, my eyes sliding up to meet Uzkielle's mismatched ones. "What does that mean?"

Uzkielle adjusted his hold, freeing one of his hands and pressed it against my chest and spread his warm fingers over my heart. And in a voice deeper than the night is dark he rumbled one word. "Warrior..."

* * *

 **A/N: OMG, now I'm the one on pins and needles! This chapter was short but hopefully, short, sweet, and to the point. Gah! I rewrote this sucker half a dozen times until Nina hijacked my brain and didn't let me stop writing until the wee hours of the morning just before posting. XD Hehe anyone catch the line from the Predator movie? _'I ain't got time to bleed...' XD_ Thanx for all the love everyone! Thursday's are my favorite too! Thanx for all those favs, follows, and reviews. Yautja defs at the bottom. **

**Shenandoah76209: Lol, now that would be a big plot hole if Nina all of the sudden pulls out a bag of ham XD But it would've hilarious! Thanx :)**

 **sousie: Aah you're pretty amazing too! Thank you, sousie! :D**

 **Rasha007: I think they're definitely proud of their mate ;) Thanx so much badass 007**

 **saashi samy: I'm glad you enjoyed it :)**

 **phsycopredgirlouttahercage: Lol, here's the update :D Hope you enjoyed it! Thanx so much!**

 **crocfarmer: I'm happy the boys are back too! Thanx so much Felix and Felix's friends :)**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Haha I love that you did a happy little jig! I'm happy they're back too XD**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Glad you enjoyed it! Thanx for the love :)**

 **angel897: I'm sure she'll get a little down time with her boys. They deserve it. Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the love! :)**

 **XxShadowfangxX: My holiday was super :) I'm happy the boys are back too! Glad you enjoyed! Thank you for all the support and love :)**

 **hellfire45: Thank you. Lol, yes they do have a knack for popping in at strange times. Glad you liked it! :)**

 **Black cross0: Happy 2017 to you too! Oh, my that's high praise and I'm smiling from ear to ear. Dutch definitely influenced the fight scenes. Lol, I hope you enjoyed the BadBlood death scene! Ooh, I can hardly wait XD Thanx so much!**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Hehe I thought you might enjoy those Transformer refs ;) Thanx so much!**

 **Guest Reviews: G1~ I will write more soon :) G2~ If you enjoy my work more than the movie than I must be doing something right! And it makes me so happy you enjoy it that much XD**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Haha glad I made you laugh XD Thanx so much Maiden!**

 **Haylz93: Aah you're so sweet! I missed you too! It killed me to wait an extra week XP Lol, yes they do have a talent for showing up in the nick of time. I had a great holiday! I hope you did too! Thanx, Haylz XD**

 **DiamondDi: Your review made me smile. Thank you for the compliment. This site has given me the opportunity to practice and expand upon my writing skills so that one day maybe I will be able to publish :)**

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 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: I'm pleased you liked it. Thank you, Emporer :)**

 **flor da aurora: And I'm glad to be back! Happy you enjoyed! Thank you :)**

 **Atlafan1286: Haha, glad I can make you laugh :) I'm happy the boys are back too. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx for all the love!**

 **Tenfangirl: Ah, thanks for the compliment! I smiled like mad when I read your review. Thanx for all the support and love! :)**

 **Kay: Haha, I sorry. None of those things apply to me XD You make my day every time I read your comments. Your reactions are hilarious so I can't help but be cruel. ;) But yes! The boys are back! I will keep updating! I swears- We swears on the precious! (Yes I am a Rings nerd XD) Thanx, chi'ytei!**

 **1WhoLoves2ReadAlot: Glad you liked it XD Thanx!**

 **KTCameleon: Hehe did I surprise you with this chapter? Nine got to take down his BadBlood ass! XD Oh, I think they were impressed ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **xXWhoWantsToKnowXx: Lol, hope I surprised you with Nina's takedown! It was tough missing an update but I'm glad to be back. Thanx so much for the love! :)**

 **LunaSilvereyes: (Adds deep voice) Luna of the Silvereyes XD Eeee so happy you enjoyed it! Hopefully, this fight scene was just as believable. Hehe, did you catch the other Predator line? Thanx so much my friend! :)**

 **CieloDistante: LMAO after reading your comment of them being out for tea or coffee, I had this bizarre image of them sitting in a Starbucks XD Haha I'm so happy you're happy! Yes, the boys are back! But they might be in the dog house for a bit ;D Lol, no plans for a baby with mandibles but you never know. I hope you have a happy new year too! thanx for all the love :)**

 **KittyKatt25: What a glowing review! Thank you :D Lol, yes her mates are back! I'll be filling in some of those questions you had in later chapters ;) And beautiful but oh-so-deadly was exactly what I was going for! Thank you, KittyKatt :)**

 **BlackblackAngel: I don't agree, but your opinion is your opinion. Thank you for reading my work, though :)**

 **Luna Lace: I love that you love it! XD More on pale eyes later. Thanx for the love :)**

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 **Loomiechu: Lol, nope no break for Nina. I'm cruel XD I'm so happy you enjoyed Nina discovering the thrill of the hunt! I had a lot of fun writing it. Hope you found this fight just as epic! Thank you so much for the compliment :)**

 **NiqueMo: Ah, thank you so much for the compliment and the confidence boost. I will never change the way I write. I will only improve and become stronger! XD Your review made me so happy! And I'm so glad you understand Nina's bizarre quirks. Arnold's performance in the Predator definitely influenced my fight scenes. Thanx for the love and support! Stay awesome! XD**

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 **Zombiehorde13: Lol, I can just imagine you telling your team I'll brb. So happy you enjoyed it! Yup, the boys are back! Enjoy the convention! Thanx for the love! XD**

* * *

 **Yautja definitions:**

 **Zabin: Insect**

 **Ki'cte: Enough**

 **Mei'hswei: Brother**


	20. Chapter 20

**Lady of the Ring**

Osh'ikeille, his gentle fingers upon my back, examined the worst of my injuries. The lacerations were shallow, not nearly as bad as I'd feared, but regardless they hurt like a son of a bitch. Even so, I found myself leaning into Osh'ikeille's touch. The added pressure against the cuts made them sting more, but I wanted to feel more of those skillful hands. Reassuring, myself that he was really here.

The tall grass scratched and tickled my legs, making my already overstimulated muscles twitchy as fuck. Osh'ikeille huffed at me, and I forced myself to sit perfectly still. We were sitting on the other side of the flipped car, and I watched as waves of heat continually rolled off the smoldering metal. Rental cars are Lojacked. The security system was probably melted beyond recognition, but if anyone was looking for me and somehow managed to trace this car back to Finch, they'd be able to retrieve the last ping of its location.

I wasn't all that worried, though. No one would be sad to see Andrew Finch dead. Not that there would even be a body to worry about. The best part about the swamp is the cleanup crew, and they're very good at their job.

Without meaning to or realizing it, my eyes drifted to the Fanged Fruitcake's corpse. From this distance, he was a formless lump in the grass. Nothing scary about that and yet, there had been something about Andrew Finch that terrified me even more than Gul'dan. And I think it's because whatever Gul'dan's motives may have been I doubt he would've ever thought of using my baby brother to torture me.

 _"...And I won't stop there, Nina... I'll make you watch!"_

A heavy thud startled me and silenced Andrew's sinister voice. I blinked up at Uzkielle who'd unceremoniously plopped down beside me. Behind him the sun crested the horizon, streaking the sky in vibrant shades of red, orange, and pink. Uzkielle had disappeared for a short time after the fight. Taking care of Gul'dan's corpse. Though what he did with it I hadn't a clue. He'd taken it out of the swamp that much I knew for sure, and I understood why without having to ask. Gators are efficient at getting rid of evidence, but Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle just couldn't chance a human stumbling across the bones of one of their own. The South would run rampant with stories of swamp monsters, and we already had plenty of those.

Without warning, Uzkielle thrust a closed fist in front of my face, making me jump which made Osh'ikeille grumble in annoyance behind me. Confused, I stared at his closed fist which was level with my face and glanced up at him. He grunted impatiently, his fist shaking as if he was trying to show me something. Again I just stared, raising my brow in a silent what the fuck. Irritated he growled and suddenly grabbed one of my hands.

"Hey!" I protested. "What the heck is your problem, Uzkielle?!"

He forced my palm open, dropped something in it and pulled away with an indignant sounding snort.

Brow furrowed in irritation, I uncurled my fingers and stared down at the silver ring in my palm. For half a second, I panicked. My eyes growing owlishly round and blinking like a bulb about to blow its filament. But there was something familiar about this thick metal band, and then reality checked back in. "Human symbolism is really lost on you guys, huh?" I sighed, my eyes meeting Uzkielle's behind the helmet.

He tilted his head in confusion, and I laughed softly. "Nevermind," I said. Refraining from teasing him further about the seriousness of given women rings. He wouldn't understand, anyway. Besides, as much fun as it was to get under his skin, teasing Uzkielle was a bit like playing Russian roulette. You never know when that chambered bullet would cycle into the barrel.

I picked the band up and examined it closely. It had a Damascus steel quality about it. Beautifully folded over and over, creating unique patterns and swirls in the metal. Sigils were somewhat crudely etched into its age beaten surface, leading the eye to a chipped, pyramid shaped, jade colored stone. Osh'ikeille wore a band very similar to this one on his lower right tusk, and again I doubted it was any sort of fashion accessory. Nor did I think it coincidently that it looked similar to the bands in their dreads.

 _Did this come from Gul'dan?_ I couldn't recall if he had a band on his tusk or not, but then again I'd been preoccupied with not dying.

My eyes met Uzkielle's, and I found it slightly off-putting the way his narrowed gaze watched me with the same intensity a cat pays a mouse. "What is it?" I asked, pretending as if he did not just give me a serious case of the willies with a mere look. Gul'dan had been a scary mother fucker, but Uzkielle could make your bladder spontaneously evacuate itself without warning or even trying. I crossed my legs just in case.

Uzkielle leaned in closer, and I dug my nails into the ground as an autonomic shiver lanced my vertebrae. He held his left hand out flat and then using the right he fanned it around the other in a clockwise motion. "Yin'tekai," he rumbled.

Now it was my turn to cock my head in confusion. _What the fish sticks_ _?_

He straightened, pulling away from me. "Honor," he clarified. The English word guttural and vital on his alien tongue. It also clarified that the band was indeed a trophy from Gul'dan.

"Who was he?" My gaze flicked behind me at Osh'ikeille who paused when the question slipped between my teeth. Osh'ikeille met my eyes then met his brothers. Uzkielle clicked feverishly, the sound fast and sharp as if a warning. Bristling, my eyes snapped back to Uzkielle. "Damn it! Who was he Uzkielle?! And why was he after me?"

Uzkielle growled at the command in my voice, his eyes narrowing to slits. And here I thought we'd found some common ground. The prick.

Osh'ikeille laid a hand on my shoulder, slightly pulling me away from his brother. "Ic'jit," he said.

Whatever Osh'ikeille said, it elicited, a feral snarl from Uzkielle.

Osh'ikeille's grip tightened as if he were preparing to yank me out of harm's way. "Ki'cte!"

Uzkielle moved as if to get up, bracing an arm against the ground and getting his feet beneath him.

"Uzkielle," his name snapped from my tongue like the crack of a whip. He snarled, his dreads brushing my face as his burning gaze shot down to meet mine. I leveled a stern glare on him, speaking slowly so that the translators, I suspected were in their helmets, or wrist-comps could hopefully pick up every word. "Time and time again I have blindly trusted you. Don't you think after everything we've been through I've earned some of that trust back?"

He blinked a few times. Perhaps considering my words. Either that or he was having trouble understanding. I was carefully learning to toe the line between suicidal and manipulation when it came to their pride. A very useful skill when dealing with aliens, who in my eyes, made _Superman_ look like a pussy.

After what had to be a solid minute, Uzkielle released an irritated grunt. "Pauk," he growled, his mismatched orbs refocusing on me as he slowly lowered himself and stretched his legs back out. I wouldn't go so far as to say the danger had passed, but Uzkielle seemed to calm if only slightly.

"Ic'jit?" I prompted. My human vocal chords butchered the word and made it sound more like ink jizz, but Uzkielle's reaction told me I came close.

Uzkielle shot an unfriendly glare his brother's way before answering. "BadBlood," he snarled quietly. And I could imagine his mandibles flaring behind his helmet.

"Bad blood?" My brows screwed up in thought. The vehemence in the way he spat it made the term sound dirty, like calling someone a bastard. "So the hunter that attacked me was a bad blood?"

"Sei'i," he hissed.

"And what exactly is a bad blood then?" I didn't bother guessing. If I started throwing out words I'd only confuse him, which in turn would make him angrier. Conversing with the brothers was difficult, and somewhat tiring with the language barrier. We were gonna have to learn to communicate better. Understanding body language can only get you so far. And the frustrated noise Uzkielle made in the back of his throat confirmed he shared my struggle.

"Dissshonored," he finally rasped. His hands made almost the same movement as before except the right abruptly shot out in a slashing motion. It appeared as though Uzkielle was trying to communicate through his hands.

"Dishonored." It wasn't hard to grasp the meaning from there. Honor was everything to Uzkielle's species, and I imagine deeming someone a bad blood made them a leper in the eyes of their kin. It also meant he probably earned that title by doing something pretty fucking shameful. But that didn't answer why he came after me- or did it?

I straightened, making Osh'ikeille huff as I twisted in place in order to see both of them. "You two are the reason he was marked as a bad blood? Yes? So hunting me was revenge."

Uzkielle's eyes narrowed in shocked annoyance. He wasn't amused by my ability to make the connection so easily. Osh'ikeille laughed at his brother's expense then clapped me on the shoulder, "Dhi'rauta ooman."

Uzkielle glanced at his brother briefly, giving him a derisive snort before looking away from both of us with a shake of his head.

A tiny victorious smile quirked my lips, and I slid my trophy onto my thumb. It was a loose fit, but my calloused knuckle kept it from slipping off.

 _My own... my precious..._ I snickered to myself.

Osh'ikeille's hand moved from my back, and I heard him rooting around in his medicomp thingy. My eyes narrowed, and I eyeballed him suspiciously from over my shoulder. He caught my wary gaze and held up the wound stapler I'd seen him use on past injuries for me to see. It was better than the Devil's silly putty but not by much. I nodded and blew out a breath as I looked away to focus on something else. Anything else.

My eyes naturally landed on Uzkielle, who was still pointedly ignoring us. The muscles in his thick chest twitched drawing my eyes to his injuries. The twins had both been hurt, but neither one of them fussed or even worried about their own wounds the way they did mine. I frowned at the bloody furrows Gul'dan's talons had carved into Uzkielle's shoulders and unconsciously reached out to touch him. Tentatively the pads of my fingers softly traced the flesh wounds, eliciting a quiet rumble from him. I smiled to myself, knowing full well how much the brothers loved the attention paid to their battle scars but pretended not to notice the slight swell of his chest or the way he leaned into the touch. It was cute, but Uzkielle stared down at me from behind his helmet with eyes carefully guarded. Despite what Gul'dan said, even if Uzkielle had claimed me too, it was obvious he still didn't _want_ to like me. I itched to figure out why, but this wasn't the time.

 _Danny..._

The sun was almost fully up. Danny had no idea what had happened to me. I needed to get back to him. But there was something else I needed to take care of first.

My eyes flicked over to Andrew Finch's body. A month ago, Andrew Finch murdered his wife and disappeared without a trace. Everyone, besides Trey, suspected he'd either fled to Canada or some fancy island where he'd be untouchable. And even though my Bronco was probably still sitting in the Swill and Trotters parking lot, the bar doesn't actually open until late in the afternoon. So I had to wonder if anyone, other than Danny of course, knew I was missing.

Uzkielle followed my line of sight then inclined his head in my direction as he noticed me getting up. A confused chirr reverberated deep within Osh'ikeille's chest, but he didn't attempt to stop me.

I didn't feel in control of my body. Compelled by an unknown desire, I walked over to Andrew Finch and stared at the thick, coagulated pool of blood that had seeped through his shirt. His lifeless eyes drained of their color gazed up at me and a brief moment of guilt stole over me.

 _It was either him or you, Nina..._

I shook my head and crouched beside him. What he'd said, the way he taunted me about killing my brother really stuck with me and left me with a disturbing sort of curiosity.

I felt more than saw the brothers approach me. Osh'ikeille crouched on my left, his arm brushing mine, and cocking his head as he watching me search the body. Uzkielle moved to the other side, crouching in my direct line of sight.

I ignored them both and slipped a hand under the torso. Nothing in the waistband of his jeans, so I traced my fingers along the belt and wasn't surprised when I found a hidden knife in the buckle.

Osh'ikeille leaned into me and plucked the short blade from my grip, and I let him. Osh'ikeille examined the knife but quickly lost interest in it when I pulled Andrew's wallet from one of the back pockets and set it aside. Osh'ikeille nudged my shoulder, and I glanced at him. His amber orbs searched my face as he pointed to Andrew's body.

"Ell-osde kv'var ooman?"

My brows furrowed. I understood 'hunt human' but I wasn't familiar with the first word he'd used. Osh'ikeille seemed to understand my trouble and slightly angled his body so that he could touch my chest. "Ell-osde," he tapped my sternum with his talon and reiterated his words. "Ell-osde -" He tapped again. "- kv'var ooman?"

I licked my lips, choosing my words carefully. "I did not hunt this human, Osh'ikeille, but I did kill him."

His eyes narrowed, and he trilled softly in confusion. The twins arrived in the nick of time to catch the tail end of my fight with Gul'dan, but they'd completely missed what went down before hand. Lucky, Finch. His death would've been a lot more brutal otherwise.

It was hard to ignore their questioning gazes upon my face, so I continued to explain as I frisked the corpse.

"He's a dishonorable fuck."

My choice of words peeked their interest, and they both observed me with rapt attention.

"He attacked me when my back was turned-" A growl from Uzkielle. "-and knocked me unconscious," I said. The memory rekindled my anger and the muscle in my jaw ticked as I worked my way towards his ankles. "It was my fault. I left myself exposed." What I didn't say was it was because of their Houdini act that left me so distraught. "He kidnapped me." I briefly met both of their eyes then nodded towards the upturned car behind Uzkielle. "And I forced him to wreck the car when I realized I wouldn't survive the night."

My hands found an ankle holster, and when I lifted the hem of Andrew's pant leg, I found a small caliber Glock. I left the gun in the holster; finding a gun had caught me off guard but considering the man was wanted for murder it wasn't surprising. However, what was unexpected was the folded photos tucked behind the leather. I yanked them out and unfolded them. A growl curled in my throat. Not nearly as dangerous sounding coming from human vocal cords but it had both of the brothers invading my personal space.

"Piece of shit," I snarled. Abruptly, I stood and kicked the dead fucker right in the teeth. "I hope the Devil skull fucks you!"

Osh'ikeille leapt to his feet and grabbed me, keeping me from stomping on the asstard's skull. I was so mad I couldn't even see straight. I struggled, not even deterred by his gear painfully gouging into my wounds.

"Damn it, Osh'ikeille!" I drove an elbow into his rock-hard stomach. He merely grunted and coiled his arms around me, constricting me. "Let go!"

"Ki'cte," he barked.

My back to his front, in his firm hold I couldn't take out my rage on the dead man. Stupid, I know. The guy was dead, but the frustration stung the backs of my eyes, and welled up, burning my skin as fat tears slid down my cheeks. I let out a frustrated cry. My body, shaking, as I furiously fought against Osh'ikeille's steely hold.

"You don't understand!" I panted, "He wasn't just hunting me." My body sagged forward, and I hung in his grip. My eyes fixed on the back of Andrew's head. Wishing for a second chance to bleed him dry.

An eye for an eye wouldn't sate the vengeful spirit that had taken hold of me. I've never been a malicious person. Vindictive, hell yes, you don't mess with family, but I've never had the desire to rip someone apart piece by fucking piece the way I did now.

Movement in front of me. My head jerked up and my frantic eyes caught Uzkielle's. His eyes narrowed, and his head tilted slightly, taking a step over the body and in my direction. He made a strange sort of huffy growl, and if I had to guess, I'd say he was scenting me. I probably didn't look like much of warrior anymore, but at the moment I honestly couldn't have cared less.

Uzkielle's eyes became alight with anger, the silver orb shimmering like mercury, the amber one brightening to wolf gold. Uzkielle was a lot of things. Mostly a conceited, condescending asshole with a god complex and the temper of a rabid grizzly, but one thing he wasn't, was stupid. He couldn't decipher why I was so upset, but he wasn't mocking me and appeared to be genuinely affected by what was causing me pain. For the first time, ever, Uzkielle lowered himself into a crouch that put his head level with mine. The corded muscles beneath the taut skin of his arms coiled and tensed like living serpents, and I briefly wondered if he was restraining himself. He inclined his head towards me, and when my eyes cut to Andrew, Uzkielle's followed then came back to me.

"He wasn't just hunting me," I rasped. A snarl curled my lip and bared my teeth. "He was hunting Danny too."

Osh'ikeille's arms tensed and his roar of outrage vibrated my bones. Uzkielle's irises glowed menacingly through his slitted lids. He held my gaze for a second longer then turned with a growl so feral my heart instinctually rabbited in my chest and tried to flee.

My eyes widened as Uzkielle suddenly knelt over Andrew's body and dug his talons into the flesh of the dead man's back. The muscle in his arm bunched and with a fierce snarl, he ripped the spinal collum with the skull intact from the flesh. The gory sight should've frightened me, and it did on some level, but at the moment all I felt was a deep satisfaction.

Uzkielle straightened to his full height and faced me, holding the bloody skull and spinal collum up for me to see. Our eyes met, and I gave him a grave nod of gratitude. He acknowledged me by tossing his head up towards the heaven's, thrust the skull up to bathe in the sun's light and roared.

Andrew was not his kill. Nor did I think he was claiming Andrew's skull as a trophy. I think Uzkielle was honoring me by celebrating my victory...

...

Once again Osh'ikeille and I sat in the grass, my back facing him. The fourth, or maybe it was the fifth, staple slid home, and I winced as it tugged the edges of the wound together. My eyes fell on Uzkielle, and I grimaced as he teased an adolescent gator with a grisly game of tug o' war using Andrew's shredded remains like a rope toy. Seriously it was disturbing. And I was tempted to shout and tell him he couldn't keep the gator as a pet. But I refrained, and my eyes flicked down to the wrinkled candid shots of Danny in my hands. Andrew had gotten way too close, and I was pissed at myself for never noticing the danger that had lurked so nearby.

The heat of Osh'keille's chest ghosted along my back as he leaned over me with a low, innocuous rumble. His dreads swept my bare shoulders as he placed a hand on my arm and gently forced it down. I got the message loud and clear. Sighing I stopped torturing myself with the photos and nestled into the strength of his abdomen. The movement tugged painfully at the staples he'd just inserted, but I refused to pull away. Idly, I traced a path around the puncture wounds in his forearm left by the gator's teeth with a finger. The wounds were deep but luckily, the thickness of Osh'ikeille's hide protected him, and his quick perception coupled with lightening fast reflexes spared him from losing an arm.

Osh'ikeille made a contented noise, and I smiled as he almost hesitantly rested the underside of his jaw in my hair. I would've loved to stretch out this moment forever, but Danny was still alone and time waits for no one.

With a regretful sigh, I tilted my head up. Osh'ikeille straightened and met my eyes. "We should get going."

He grumbled under his breath, which in turn made me giggle. Slowly he withdrew himself from me and collected the tools from his medicomp, then reattached it to his shoulder rigging behind the energy cannon mounted there. I slipped the photos of my brother under the strap of my knife sheath and brushed my fingers over the knife in reassurance.

Wincing, I dragged my legs under me and steadied myself with a hand in the grass. Slowly I rose to my feet, groaning as the vertebrae in my spine popped. It felt good, but it hurt at the same time. I stretched up high on tiptoes and raised my arms gently over my head, trying to work out the stiffness. I exhaled a huge breath and rolled back on my heels. It helped a little, but my body ached as if I'd been fighting hulking aliens and psychos all night long. No, wait- that's exactly, the hell I've been through! Ha! Eat your hearts out MIB!

A few feet away, in a very telling patch of crushed grass, I picked up Andrew's wallet. I'd nearly forgotten about it. Finding photos of my baby brother had derailed my brain. Then again could anyone blame me for going berserk after finding said photos on the body of a psycho? Nope, probably not. So I felt entitled to that little conniption, even though it was rather embarrassing now that I'd calmed down. Especially in front of the brothers. I'm aware that I have a flash fuse temper, but I've always prided myself on staying level-headed and not getting hysterical. But anyway, I digress.

The wallet contained a few credit cards all of which would be useless at this point. My brow arched when I pulled a condom from one of the inner folds and briefly wondered what the fuck until I decided it was probably better not to wonder. In the billfold, I hit the jackpot and found several crisp Benjamin's. Apparently, Andrew had also been smart enough not to use credit cards. Lucky me.

"It's about damn time I got paid for this shit," I groused, folding the bills and then tucking them into my bra.

Uzkielle, thankfully sans his gator pal, stalked over to see what I was up too. I scowled as he snatched the wallet from my hand, but let the annoyance roll off me with a sigh. I was just too damn tired to bicker with the fridiot. Said fridiot tilted his head, I think surprised I hadn't started a fight. Which of course made me wonder if he'd been looking to start one. I crossed my arms and cocked a brow at him. He snorted in disinterest, dropped the wallet on the ground and abruptly stalked away upon his brother's approach.

 _What is his problem?_ I rolled my eyes at myself. _Damn. And here I thought the berserko barbie dolls I suffered through middle school with had killer mood swings._ _Whatever. Freakin', idjit..._

Osh'ikeille leant his head, he must've read the frustration in my face because he glanced at his brother's retreating form then back to me with a curious rumble. I rested a hand on his forearm, brushing the scars with my fingertips and smiling when he made a contented sound and the muscle swelled.

Seriously, it was ridiculous. How was it possible that aliens built like reptilian Terminators have such random ass cute quirks?! It's disgusting!

Like a title wave, without warning, gooseflesh prickled from calf to scalp. The unsettled feeling yanked my attention towards Uzkielle who was watching Osh'ikeille and me from over his shoulder. The view slits in his helmet had gone dark, and I stared into the abyss.

 _Well, that's not very cute._

 _"If it ain't worth fighting for then it ain't worth shit."_ My daddy had a way with words, but my daddy had never met someone like Uzkielle before.

Uzkielle turned away, and I was able to breathe again. Osh'ikeille's tusks clicked together in agitation, and I found him staring after his brother too. With a low irritated huff, Osh'ikeille turned and jerked his head for me to follow. I did. Slowly. Keeping Uzkielle, in my line of sight as long as possible.

 _"They don't run from anything!"_ I'd declared to Andrew, and I still held to that conviction, and yet Uzkielle was clearly running from something...

 _..._

Eventually after dogging my footsteps with snarls about "Zabin to slow" Osh'ikeille picked me up and set me on his broad shoulder. He turned and gave his brother an insufferable growl to which Uzkielle responded with a snarly-bark before fixing me with a glare that had me silently pleading with my bladder to hold it in. He eyed me up and down, snorted, then took to the trees and left us behind.

Osh'ikeille shook his head, held my calves to his chest to keep me steady and quickly followed after him. I clutched his opposite shoulder for balance and tucked myself close to his head to keep myself from getting smacked in the face by stray branches.

For a short time, I tried to track Uzkielle with my eyes, but either he'd cloaked or simply got too far ahead for me to see. He was just so angry. True enough after the fight with Gul'dan all of our tempers were hitting dangerous levels but Uzkielle seemed volcanic.

"Does he hate me?" I blurted.

Osh'ikeille's chin raised and he stared at me from the corner of his vision for a moment. _"... hate..."_ He played the single word back to me.

"Hate- ummm," I scratched the back of my head. "To dislike. Contempt. Ah- shit. Nevermind." I looked away, hating how badly I wanted answers but couldn't convey the words.

Osh'ikeille slowed his pace and nudged me with a grunt to get my attention. I met his eyes and took the subtle jerk of his head as a sign to continue.

"The bad blood that attacked me," I paused making sure he understood and continued when he nodded again. "The way you two felt about him is that how Uzkielle feels about me?"

Osh'ikeille's visible eye narrowed, looked away then back at me. I don't know what kind of response I'd been expecting, but I certainly hadn't been ready for a quiet bark of laughter. The unexpected sharp sound made me jump, and Osh'ikeille's arm pressed firmly into my calves to steady me.

"What?" I scowled.

"Haaate," he rasped. "M'di." He shook his head, and I'd swear there was an amused gleam in his eye as he inclined his head to meet my eyes. "Uzkielle m'di haaate," he stared at me coolly, clearly privy to something I was not. I watched in confusion as his amber orbs grew serious and without warning, Osh'ikeille came to a complete stop. "Uzkielle haaate ooman's."

The knowledge stung, but more than anything it left me bewildered. Didn't he just say Uzkielle didn't hate me? I shook my head in frustration, "So he does hate me."

Osh'ikeille reached up and placed his fevered hand over my heart and poked my skin purposely with his talon. "Uzkielle haaaate ooman's," he tapped his talon over my heart again, "te ell-osde Uzkielle h'dlak's..."

We stared at one another for a long moment, but a distant and familiar roar shattered the stillness, and my head jerked towards the sound of a snarl that was far too canine to be Uzkielle's.

 _Shit, Baymax!_

Osh'ikeille growled and instantly took off towards the alarming sounds.

 _Oh, gods. Please Uzkielle, don't do anything stupid! Crap. Who am I kidding?!_

"Osh'ikeille, hurry!"

...

We broke through the treeline onto the dirt drive, and my eyes widened in horror at the sight of Uzkielle and Baymax snarling at one another. Danny was on the ground, his green orbs wide with fright as he stared between the two. Baymax was standing protectively over Danny. The hackles running from his neck down his spine were raised so high his white hair stood up like the quills of a porcupine. I've never seen Baymax get aggressive, Uzkielle just had a tendency to bring it out of anyone and everyone. Baymax's lips were peeled back baring his teeth, ears flat against his head, and that lone ice blue orb was fixed on Uzkielle. Baymax is big and intimidating, but Uzkielle is bigger and meaner. And my baby brother was caught in the crosshairs of a dogfight.

"Danny," I breathed, the mother bear syndrome taking hold. I tried to slide from Osh'ikeille's shoulder, but he held me firmly and growled in warning. "We have to stop this," I said.

Osh'ikeille growled, "Sei'i." He knelt down and allowed me to slip from his shoulder, but he didn't let go. He caught my gaze and tapped my sternum. "Ell-osde," he held up the hand he'd tapped me with and made a two finger jerky motion towards the ground, "vor."

 _Do I look like a damn dog?!_

I scowled but nodded that I understood him.

Osh'ikeille stalked towards his brother, his feet making more noise than usual and I realized it was because he didn't want to sneak up on Uzkielle and catch him off guard.

"Baymax!"

My eyes snapped to Danny who was starting to get up which in turn made Baymax growl louder as Uzkielle leaned in his direction. Damn it, didn't they realize they both wanted the same thing?! To protect, Danny. Something must've happened moments before we showed up. A misread situation, either that or Uzkielle just saw everything that breathed as a threat when it came to my brother. Endearing but completely misguided.

 _Screw this!_

"Danny," I called calmly to get the boy's attention. Danny's eyes flicked my way. I held my hands up in a placating manner as I carefully edged my way around the other side of Uzkielle. Making sure to give him a wide berth. "Danny, don't get up, baby. Just stay there."

Danny's lips pursed in confusion but he lowered himself back down until his butt was planted in the dirt. I think as long as Danny doesn't move, then neither would the two alpha males snarling at one another. I had to find a way to defuse the situation without it ending in tragedy. Danny loved Uzkielle, but he would never forgive him for killing Baymax and frankly neither would I.

They were both acting on thousands of years of hardwired instinct, but Uzkielle was also a sentient being, which meant if he pulled his head out of his ass for two seconds he'd be able to see Baymax wasn't a threat to Danny. Something Osh'ikeille had already figured out which is why he was warily watching his brother and not Baymax.

Osh'ikeille spoke to his brother in low tones. A mixture of their native tongue and unintelligible clicks and growls, but Uzkielle's arched back and his tense body language made it hard to discern if he was listening.

I edged closer, my footfalls light and soft. Danny's focus training had actual stuck. Go figure. Which meant I'd be seeing a whole lot less of my couch in the future. I internally groaned at this.

Baymax took notice of me. His lone good eye never strayed from Uzkielle, but it was in the way his growl changed and the subtlest shifting to lean in my direction. Ninja skills have nothing on a dog's keen sense of hearing, and Baymax's attention caused me to stiffen. He'd never growled this way at me before, and I didn't understand until it was too late.

A flurry of movement I felt on a visceral level more than saw. Baymax's vicious snarl rent the air the way a violent storm rips the sky. A flash of teeth in the corner of my vision. _Get away!_ Adrenaline scores my veins. Desperation. Instinct compels me to leap away- a weird pressure on my chest. The momentum changes and I feel my body twist in reaction. Osh'ikeille's thunderous roar. Danny's shocked "Nina!".

I hit the ground. Hard. A death march drums in my ears, the beat of my heart so loud, so wild, it physically hurts to breath. The pain spreads. The mild sting ignites into a hell pit and a choked scream ravages my throat. The world is in chaos around me, but it's as if the sound has cut out. I stare at my chest, dumbfounded by the five crimson slash marks carved into my flesh from the base of my throat over the top of my left breast, my sternum, and ending at the curve of my right breast.

"...Nina..."

 _What the hell happened?_

"...Nina?!"

 _Oh, gods..._ I closed my eyes.

"Nina!"

Someone touches my shoulder. My eyes snap open, simultaneously pulling away. Danny stares at me, a mixture of concern and fear on his face. He collapses to his knees beside me, hands hovering, eyes flicking away and back. I blink, my eyes following his. Confused and frightened to find the brothers fighting. Then it sinks in and cold shock prickles my skin. I stare at the cuts swollen fat with blood, soaking into the shredded fabric of my bra, and streaking my abdomen. Uzkielle had attacked me. Raked me with his talons. The thought made me sick. Made me cold.

Baymax stepped over my legs, and I caught the barest glimpse of phosphorus green on his muzzle as he put himself between us and the fight. Osh'ikeille snarled, sounding angrier than I've ever heard him. He pushed Uzkielle who staggered back shaking his head like a dog, but Uzkielle wasn't watching his brother, he was watching me.

Our eyes met for a split second before Osh'ikeille rounded on him with a blow to the side of the head. Uzkielle's head jerked back with a shocked snarl, but he didn't seem to be paying attention to his brother's attacks. Osh'ikeille was fast, but I'd seen the ferocity in the way Uzkielle had taken down Gul'dan, and I realized with a start that Uzkielle was taking the hits on purpose. And the only logical conclusion I could draw was that Uzkielle hadn't meant to hurt me. Because otherwise, this behavior was just way too out of character.

"Nina?"

My head swiveled towards my brother's hushed but panicked voice. The boy was on the verge of tears, his emerald orbs red and shimmering as he looked between me and the brothers. The kid was so confused, but I wasn't.

 _This is my fault._

I'd ignored Osh'ikeille. I'd gotten too close and hadn't fully trusted him to protect Danny. Baymax hadn't been growling at me to back away from Danny but to back away from Uzkielle. I'd put myself right in Uzkielle's blind spot and with tempers so frayed how could I blame him for reacting on instinct when he thought I'd been a potential threat?

I should've warned the brothers about Baymax, but in the aftermath of not one but two life-threatening fights, I'd forgotten about the big dog. This is not how I imagined Danny, would be reunited with his heroes. Nor did I want to disillusion him.

"Stop," I breathed. My tone too soft, too timid.

 _Damn it, Nina, get up!_

I pushed up on one arm, my other hand to my chest as if it would help soothe the searing pain or stop the bleeding. Baymax inclined his head towards me with a growly whine.

"I'm alright," I said, staring into his icy blue. His flat ears twitched up slightly, but otherwise, he didn't move. I laced my fingers through the bristled fur of his scruff and leaned on him heavily as I got to my feet. Baymax pressed himself into my legs, helping me balance. Danny touched my hip, I think more out of reassurance than anything else.

I took a breath and straightened my spine, staring at the two males no longer paying us any attention. Uzkielle was more on the defense now, but I could tell he wouldn't continue to be passive in this fight for much longer. If I didn't stop this, things were gonna turn really bloody, maybe even deadly and Danny would be scarred for life.

"Osh'ikeille. Uzkielle. Stop it!"

One of them snarled, I think Osh'ikeille, but it was hard to tell at the moment. I let go of Baymax and took several deliberate steps towards the two males. This they noticed. Uzkielle snarled and broke away first, his eyes wide and burning with anger. Though, I didn't know if it was because I'd encroached on the fight or out of concern for my safety. Osh'ikeille's head snapped my way, his dreads fanning over his shoulders as he snarled at me.

I stopped and speared them both with a vehement glare of disapproval and played the dominance card that shouldn't have worked on them at all but always seemed to when I needed it. "Enough," I growled, my voice so frosty it should've fogged the air as I breathed.

They both straightened at my commanding tone, but I didn't wait to see what happened next. I turned away with a dismissive snort. A tact I'd seen Osh'ikeille use to defuse tense situations before. I placed a hand on my brother's head, his dreads pressed into my palm as I guided him with me. Baymax followed close, his shoulders brushing my thighs as he walked beside me, guarding my exposed side.

"Nina?" Danny questioned quietly, his eyes on my face.

I shushed him softly, steering him towards the house. He glanced at the brothers from over his shoulder, and I felt his confused gaze upon my face, but he didn't speak and quietly trusted in me. Truthfully, giving the brothers my back so brashly should've made me queasy or worry they'd take it as in insult and only further provoke them. But my daddy had taught me long ago to trust my gut and removing the problem i.e. Baymax, my brother, and myself, and therefore, giving the brothers, namely Uzkielle, a chance to cool off was the right decision.

I ignored the weighted gazes upon my back and ushered Danny and Baymax into the house.

...

"-but Nina, what if they leave again?" Danny intoned quietly setting the medkit on the counter beside me.

I perched on the edge of the sink, washing the blood and grime from the wounds in my chest. The furrows were deep trenches, constantly welling with blood no matter how many times I wiped it away. _Huzzah_ more stitches for me. I was beginning to look like the bride of Frankenstein's uglier cousin. I'd received more damned wounds and scars in the past two months than the entire _Expendables_ crew in all three movies. But it could've been worse. A lot worse. I'd reacted faster than I would have a month ago and that was thanks in part to my brother's training, the other part had been Uzkielle. I wasn't positive, but I think at the last second he'd jerked himself away, no doubt realizing it was me and not an enemy.

"They won't leave Danny," I said reassuringly. At least that was something I knew for sure.

Danny's face clouded with doubt, but he suddenly seemed to realize the dried swamp gunk and angry cuts covering me. "What happened?" He stepped beside me, his small hands plucking chunks of dried yuck and debris from my skin. "Did Uzkielle do this too?"

The sadness in his voice and the shimmer of building tears made me pause. He just looked so distraught. Saying the wrong thing would completely destroy the way he felt about Uzkielle. I stared at the fang tied to the leather strap around his neck and the dreads he'd begged me to style his hair.

Tempers had been hot. The guile and audacity of the bad blood fresh in their minds and the thrill of the hunt still flowing through their veins. I'd known this, yet I hadn't even considered it. And Uzkielle had reacted on instinct.

I laid my hand on Danny's head, playfully tugged on one of the dreads and smiled when he scowled up at me. "You think I would've brought that butt cheek home if he'd done this to me?"

Danny frowned, "Then why'd he hurt you?"

I blew out a breath, "He didn't mean to Danny, things just got out of hand." I poked the deep line his frown created, and he batted my hand away. "By the way, what happened before Osh'ikeille and I showed up? Why were you on the ground?"

Danny's face scrunched at my use of Osh'ikeille's proper name he'd grown rather fond of calling him Pakkun. Well, that and he had trouble pronouncing them correctly.

"You didn't come home last night." He looked down and idly traced scratches in the formica. "Eventually I went to Cruella's for help."

"It's Tilly, Danny, and holy shit tacos you hiked ten miles? In the dark? Alone?!"

His scowl deepened and he crossed his arms defensively over his chest. "Not alone. I had Baymax with me- and you never came home! What was I supposed to do?!"

"Alright, alright. You're right," I sighed and ran a hand through my tangled and disgusting hair. "What happened at Tilly's?"

Danny shrugged, "She wasn't home. So the only thing we could do was come back." His body sagged and he leaned against the counter as if just realizing how tired he was. "Eventually Baymax had to carry me." He glanced up with lips puckered in embarrassment and whispered, "I'm still too little."

I giggled.

Danny bristled and fumed, "It's not funny, Nina!"

It was hard not to laugh at the mental image of Danny riding Baymax like a freaking pony, but I fought it back and gestured for him to continue.

His eyes flicked up at me warily, not trusting that I wouldn't laugh again. "When we got home, Baymax suddenly began to growl. It startled me and fell off his back."

"And that's when Uzkielle showed up." Now the picture was getting clearer. Uzkielle found Baymax standing over a startled looking Danny and flipped his shit.

Danny nodded, his lips pursing. "It was kinda scary, Neens." He said, casting his eyes away. Baymax, who'd been quietly laying at my feet sat up and pressed his nose to Danny's cheek with a sniff. Danny patted the dog's grizzly sized muzzle, pausing when his fingers came away phosphorus green.

"Baymax got Uzkielle?"

"Yeah," Danny said, wiping the fluorescent blood on his cargo shorts.

I couldn't decide which was more shocking, the fact that Baymax had successfully bitten Uzkielle or that he was breathing after the fact.

Danny's head suddenly tilted his attention straying, his eyes doing this weird sort of sparkle as he smirked.

"What?" I asked my voice heavy with suspicion.

"Are you getting married?"

My eyes widened, "What? What?!"

He pointed to the ring on my thumb and smiled like Cheshire cat. "Did Pakkun give it to you? That means you're getting married right?"

"Now hold on a sec-"

He snapped his fingers, "You're pregnant."

I almost fell off the counter. "Where the crap did that come from?!"

The line between his brows pinched again, "I think it's called trapment."

I smacked my forehead, "Entrapment, Danny, and what have I told you about watching crapfest late night dramas?"

"That they're crapfest dramas that'll turn my brain to goo?"

"Exactly."

"So you're not pregnant?"

"No!"

 _Why the fuck is he pouting?!_

"But you're still marrying Pakkun, right?" He asked way too enthusiastically. His face shining with a terrifying amount of hope.

 _Lord strike me down now!_

Osh'ikeille chose that moment to enter the kitchen. I hadn't even heard him enter the house. He stared, his head cocked to the side looking vaguely puzzled as Danny practically shat rainbows.

Danny started towards Osh'ikeille only to stop dead upon seeing Uzkielle coming to stand in the doorway. Baymax growled a quiet warning, placing his shoulder into Danny's chest and keeping him there. Uzkielle's eyes fell on the werewolf sized dog with no small amount of animosity, his body tensing.

"Enough," I snapped.

Baymax quieted but remained in front of Danny.

The view slits in Uzkielle's helmet went black, even so, I could tell it took every scrap of control he had to snort and turn away. He leaned his weight against the doorframe oh-so-casually. But I wasn't fooled. Something as tiny as a flea fart could set him off again, and I needed to dispell the tension to keep that from happening.

"You wanna know what happened to me tonight, Danny?"

Danny's head cocked in my direction, "What?"

"I was attacked by a hunter."

His eyes widened, and he turned to me fully. "You mean like Pakkun and Lobomon?"

I nodded, "Yup. He was huge! Ah, you should've seen the brothers, Danny! It was epic!" I gushed, pleased as he got wrapped in the story and the tension in the room began to fizzle out. And I made sure to shine that light on his heroes. "... and then Uzkielle got the drop on him..." Danny leaned into the counter, drinking in my every word. On the edge of awareness, I felt the brothers listen too. I wasn't giving Danny the full story, just what I knew would bring back his smile. "And then Osh'ikeille fought a gator!"

Amazement made his emerald orbs dazzling, like staring into the wonderment of the stars. "Pakkun took on a gator?!"

I nodded with a breathy giggle.

Danny beamed at Osh'ikeille, "That's so cool!"

"And Danny-" The kid looked back at me. "-Uzkielle saved my life." My gaze flicked up, and I eyed them both with a fond smile. "They both did." The brothers stared back at me, their eyes visible through the visors of their helmets, held my gaze until Danny whirled to face them.

"Thank you for saving my sister!"

I smirked. Danny had completely forgotten about being afraid of Uzkielle's presence. And the brothers realized it too.

Danny crossed his arms over his chest, his face suddenly stern. "I'll make sure she trains harder."

I smacked the back of his head.

"Hey!" he protested loudly.

I feigned innocence with a smile and refocused my attention on the stinging cuts in my chest. Baymax's quiet growl brought my eyes up. Osh'ikeille paused in front of the big dog and crouched. Baymax stood up, showing his teeth. Osh'ikeille's neck straightened, making sure his head was higher than the dog's and held Baymax's gaze for a tense few seconds. Then, out of nowhere, Baymax's ears perked up, and the growl ended abruptly as he sat back on his haunches. Osh'ikeille rumbled softly and cuffed the dog roughly on the side of the jaw then rose to his feet and stepped between my legs and brushed my hands aside.

"Hey, I can take care of myself." I protested.

He merely huffed, and I rolled my eyes.

"Are you sure you two aren't getting married?" Danny asked cheekily.

I pointed to the door. "Out!"

Laughing to himself, Danny ran over to Uzkielle. Baymax barked at this and stuck close to Danny's legs. Uzkielle's shoulders stiffened, but he ignored the dog and focused on Danny.

"Show me your moves!"

I snorted as Uzkielle's head jerked in a very telling what the fuck manner.

"Nina and I have been training, but I wanna be able to win against another hunter like you!" Danny grabbed the fang he'd been gifted. "I'm gonna be a hunter! With my own trophies! Do you like my dreads? Nina did it for me!"

The kid was talking a mile a minute, and all the poor guy could do was stand there and stare. Probably wondering where the hell the off switch was.

I laughed at his confusion and the heavy sigh he expelled. Danny was everybody's kryptonite. Uzkielle caught me staring, my smile puzzling him. His eyes flicked to the cuts he'd inflicted on me, and I wondered what was going through his mind. The way his head inclined towards me... was it remorse? Anger?

Osh'ikeille had paused to stare at his brother from over his shoulder, and a growl rumbled in his chest as Uzkielle's eyes shot back up to mine. Osh'ikeille placed his hands on either side of me, leaning in. Caging. Protecting. Uzkielle's eyes glazed over with an unreadable emotion, jerking his head away with a snort, and abruptly stalked out of the kitchen.

"Wait! Lo-"

"Danny," I called after him. "Leave him be."

"But-"

The front door slammed with a jarring bang, and I cringed at the sound of the walls creaking.

"But, Nina?" Danny said worriedly.

"He'll be fine."

My kid brother looked about as convinced as I felt.

"Danny, go wash up. I'm tired, and I know you haven't been to bed yet."

"But the sun's up." He looked towards the door, "And what about Lobomon?"

"We're going to at least take a nap. A long one. And don't worry about Uzkielle," my eyes met Osh'ikeille's, "he'll be alright." I searched for confirmation in Osh'ikeille's amber orbs, but I found nothing to ease the distressing feeling churning my guts...

...

The rest of the day and the evening that followed passed without my notice, and the next morning I was sick. Repercussion for mucking around in a swamp with open wounds. The fever left me sweating bullets, frozen solid, and delirious. Okay, the hilarious moment when Osh'ikeille discovered the Xenomorph skull, aka Lucy, dressed in drag that might've actually happened. But Uzkielle watching _Inside Out_? Nah-uh. That had been the fever talkin'.

Between random bouts of consciousness, I became increasingly aware of Osh'ikeille's presence. He was a constant. The frenzied energy radiating from him zapped me like static cling where ever he touched. He made strange almost strangled keening noises and dull roars as if he didn't know what to do. I guess things like the FLU aren't an issue for a creature who can recover from gator bites in a matter of days. Must be nice.

At one point, when the fever got so bad I thought my blood was boiling beneath my skin, I woke to cold water pelting my skin, Osh'ikeille holding me like a doll beneath the spray of the shower. My eyes cracked open, and he made another strangled roar, his lower mandibles flaring slightly.

 _Where's his helmet?..._

I slipped back under.

"... Nina..."

My brows furrowed.

 _Danny?_

"... will it hurt her?"

Danny's voice again but he sounded so very far away... growls... clicks...

 _... why are they arguing..._

Talons tickle the back of my neck, the barest of touches... a large hand cradles the back of my head... Pain in my chest. I groan and fight their hold. I suck in a sharp breath as someone touches the slashes in my back, reigniting the pain. _Don't they know I just want to sleep!_ A bitter taste upon my tongue... warmth spreads through my chest...

...

 _There's a butt in my face..._

Not just any butt. A big white werewolf's butt.

"Now that's just rude," I groan.

Baymax lifts his giant muzzle from his paws and sniffs at me. Scowling, I weakly reach over and smack his hind quarters. "Watch where you point that thing, would ya?" Baymax gets up, and I don't much care for the way his lone eye narrows on me. I scoot away. "What? It's dangerou- oof!" The honkin' werewolf lays on me. "Fantastic-" I shove uselessly."-just what we need in the family! Another fraggin' comedian!" I whine, "Come on! I'm freaking hurt you jerk!"

Actually, I felt pretty damn good, but he didn't need to know that.

"Nina?" Danny calls.

I glance towards the kitchen, slightly startled to find Uzkielle had taken up a sentry position in the entrance. The visors in the helmet were blacked out, but I felt his gaze upon me regardless.

Danny's head pokes out of the kitchen, his face scrunched in confusion until he see's I'm awake. "Nina!"

The upper half of my body not buried under a hundred plus pounds of dog ass got swept into a hug. I smiled, kissing the top of my brother's head.

He pulled away with a scowl, and I giggled, "Well perhaps I should get sick more often, neh?"

The scowl deepened, making him look a bit like a pug. He shook his head, his emerald orbs shining.

I frowned. Why was he so upset?

"What?" I asked, tugging one of his rust colored dreads.

He shook his head again, "Scary."

My head tilted, "What was?"

"I thought you were dying!" He said, eyes wide.

I cocked a brow and glanced down at my- naked chest! I yanked the covers up, annoyance staining my cheeks. "The hell?!" My eyes snapped accusingly to Uzkielle, only because Osh'ikeille didn't seem to be in the house. Uzkielle said nothing. In fact, he was doing a rather spectacular impression of a marble statue. My eyes snapped back to Danny, "Why the limp biscuit am I naked?!"

Danny, the poor kid, was used to seeing me run around like a naked heathen, especially when I got lazy and refused to do laundry, so he didn't even blink at the question. "Some of your wounds got infected," he said, sucking his lower lip between his teeth and worrying it. "You got really sick, Neens."

I peeled the sheet away and stared at the scabbing cuts, the edges slightly puckered and pink with scarring. My brow arched in shocked confusion. "How long was I out?"

"Three days."

Three days? That couldn't be right. The advanced state of healing suggested at least a week.

Danny scooted closer, his eyes darting to Uzkielle then back. He leaned in, cupping a hand to my ear and whispered, "I think Lobomon felt guilty-" My eyes found Uzkielle, and I stared into the hollow visors while I listened. "-and that's why he helped you."

I pulled away and looked at my brother questioningly. "Helped?"

"Helped you heal," he whispered.

 _Helped me heal?_

My eyes went from Uzkielle to my brother. "How?" I asked skeptically.

"You're not gonna like it," he said, and yet the tone of his sing-songy voice implied he found it _awesome_. Now, why didn't _that_ fill me with warm fuzzies? My eyes narrowed to slits, and I arched my brow sharply to get him to continue. He leaned in again, his breath hot against my ear, "Lobomon gave you his blood."

I jerked back and stared at Uzkielle. It didn't matter that Danny had been whispering, the subtlest flexing of his biceps made it obvious he'd heard Danny all the same. Which meant my kid brother wasn't yanking my chain and Uzkielle had actually given me blood.

 _Okay, should I be worried I'll sprout mandibles or something?..._

Tentatively, I touched the wounds in my chest. Twisting in place, I tried to get a look at my back. Harder to see but the lacerations seemed to be healing nicely too.

 _Damn, they got some seriously, potent mojo running through their veins._

My eyes found Uzkielle, but I spoke to my brother. "Danny, could you run into the kitchen and get me some clothes please."

Danny did as I asked without complaint, Baymax, thankfully getting off me to follow after him.

I wished I could see his eyes. Attempt to gauge his emotion. "Uzkielle," I licked my lips. "Thank you."

He said nothing, not even a nod. But his biceps relaxed, the muscles no longer standing out like steel cables holding up a suspension bridge and that was answer enough I guess.

"Nina," Danny's head poked out of the entrance. "Everything here is covered in swamp slime and blood."

"Check my room," I said. My eyes never leaving Uzkielle's hidden face.

This time Danny did sigh, but he trudged up the stairs anyway. Baymax hot on his heels, claws making sharp clicks on the wood.

Once they disappeared, I tightened my hold on the sheet and straightened. Watching Uzkielle, watch me.

 _"Lobomon gave you his blood..."_

 _Why would he do that?_

My eyes slowly ascended the hard contours of muscle, the roadmap of scars, and briefly over battered armor before getting sucked into the black holes in his helmet. His behavior towards me was strange. Mercilessly, ping-ponging with my emotions. At times he's possessive to the point of being terrifying and other times he wants absolutely nothing to do with me.

 _What was it Osh'ikeille had said?_

 _"... ell-osde Uzkielle h'dlak..."_ Osh'keille's guttural voice filled my head.

H'dlak? I wasn't familiar with that one.

"Uzkielle," I said calmly, patting the floor beside the pullout mattress. The same spot, he used to lay in. "Come here."

He snorted, softly. No doubt because he thought I was ordering him.

"Are you really gonna make me get up?"

I'd only been teasing him, but I forgot how easy it was for him to misread humor. With a quiet growl, he stalked over and crouched near my feet. I smirked to myself, thinking he'd set himself purposely out of touching distance. Though if it was to keep me from touching him, or the other way around I didn't know. The helmets visors remained solid black which irked me, but I wasn't about to complain.

"Uzkielle," I paused and sounded the word out in my head first. "What does h'dlak mean?"

He straightened, apparently taken aback by the word. An abnormal chirr reverberated within his chest, and abruptly, he leaned forward, balancing his weight on his hands. Uzkielle quietly rumbled for a moment, neck stretching towards me as his head tilted. I fidgeted under the intensity of his gaze. And just when I was beginning to wonder if he intended to answer at all, he spoke.

"Feeeear..." He said, his voice similar to the deep throaty whir of heavy machinery.

 _Uzkielle hates humans..._

I frowned, slowly deciphering the meaning behind Osh'ikeille's words.

 _... but me... he... fears?..._

The gravity behind that one word hit me on a visceral level, and my frown curled into tiny smirk of curiosity.

 _Whatever his hangup, Uzkielle is worth fighting for..._

* * *

 **A/N: Aaaaaah! Gomen! Gomen! So sorry for the late update but as you can see it was a doozy! Hopefully an amazing doozy XD Alas my internet went to poop a few times this week so I haven't been able to edit as much as I'd like too so sorry for mistakes! Hope everyone enjoyed. Thanx for all the favs, follows, and reviews. FYI next week's update may get held back. I have friends in town so I may not have a chance to write. Yautja definitions at the bottom.**

 **Shenandoah76209: Haha well she does get paid this time at least XD Thanx**

 **crocfarmer: Ah, you say such nice things. Thanx so much :)**

 **Tenfangirl: I think she needed the killing blow. Lol, she'll get a break soon. Thanx :)**

 **MetalMunk: I'm so happy you like it. Thank you XD**

 **XxShadowfangxX: I think Nina deserved the killing blow too. Thanx for the love :)**

 **Black cross0: Their names are very similar. I actually didn't see the movie until a few weeks ago but I enjoyed it immensely. Thanx, cross! :)**

 **KTCameleon: Haha yeah she got to kill the Badblood. Glad you liked it! Thanx :)**

 **GrimmaulDee: Haha the fluffy bed might have to wait a tad longer ;) Glad you liked it! Thank you XD**

 **kimah36: Lol, you're a pretty amazing writer too kimah. Thank you for the love :)**

 **Rasha007: Oh, she definiteky deserves sone down time now XD Thanx, 007**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: I'm thrilled you enjoyed it! Thank you ;)**

 **NiqueMo: I'm so happy with how well you know my characters. Your review made me smile from ear to ear. You've always got so many nice things to say and I hope you know I appreciate your support immensely. :)**

 **Haylz93: Gah! You're freaking awesome too! Thanx for the love XD**

 **Ally: I did my own little happy jig when I read your review! I will continue to improve so that one day maybe I will be able to publish a book. Thank you so much! XD**

 **sousie: I think Nina's a badass too! Thanx :)**

 **Luna Luce: Nina deserved the final blow ;) Thanks so much for the love XD**

 **crystalga: It's okay. You work and have a family. Hehe, she doesn't have both as mates just yet ;D Thanx for the love! :)**

 **Atlafan1286: I'm happy the boys are back too! Thrilled that you found it awesome. Thanx :)**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Thanks for the love Maiden XD**

 **Becka3490: Hehe yeah, I think I remember that story too. But I really didn't want Nina to have to eat a heart XP However you and I are on the same page when it comes to extending Nina's life span :) Thanx!**

 **xXWhoWantsToKnowXx: Thank you so much! I think they're impressed hehe ;)**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Thanks so much for the love :D**

 **Guest Reviewers: G1~ Thank you! Will do! G2~ Pairing isn't set in stone but I'm glad you're enjoying it :)**

 **FFEShadowfoot: Aii haven't seen that freakin' awesome cartoon in years! I was busting at the seams when I read your review! Omg, I gotta rewatch those now! One more thing thank you so much Shadowfoot XD**

 **Luna Silvereyes: *blushes and squeals* I'm so happy you liked it! Haha, I had to add the headbutt in there. It was too perfect! Thanks, Luna of the Silvereyes!**

 **Sleepyhallow01: I did a happy dance too :D Thanx!**

 **CieloDistante: According to the canon female Yautja are bigger and more aggressive XP The females of their planet can push their weight around, even mating can be dangerous. Female Yautja also have mammary glands like human females. And of course, I love your hilarious comments! I race to my phone everytime it trills XD Thank you!**

 **KittyKatt25: Haha I did a happy little dance myself :D I play battle music (usually the Transformers soundtrack) when I write the scenes! XD Thanx so much!**

 **Venathefreakonaleash: "I got no time to bleed." haha I love that movie too! Thanx so much for the love and support :)**

 **Kay: *grins like mad* I may have binged watched The Lord of the Rings after reading your review... Lmao, okay, I totally did and it inspired the recent chapter! Haha! Sorry for the late update my chi'ytei. Hope you enjoyed the new installment :)**

 **BloodedHuntress: Haha the darkside. Amy? Lol, did you mean Nina? But anyway, so happy you loved it! Thanx so much :)**

 **09sasha: Haha I just had to add the gator. And the headbutt! ;) So happy you enjoyed! Thanx XD**

 **flor da aurora: Ah, thank you! More of them altogether coming up :)**

 **Zombiehorde13: Haha random bout of clairvoyance you had ;) I'm happy the boys are back too. Thanks XD**

 **belladu57: Thank you :)**

 **HubrisBrutus: I freaking love that you f***ing love it! Thanx XD**

 **400roc: Lol, I'm happy you like it**

* * *

 **Yautja terms:**

 **Ooman: human**

 **Te: but (My own word since I couldn't find one. If anyone knows the actual word fill free to tell me.)**

 **H'dlak: fear**

 **M'di: no**

 **Kv'var: hunt**

 **Dhi'rauta: cunning**

 **Sei'i: yes**

 **Pauk: fuck**

 **Ic'jit: badblood**

 **Ki'cte: enough**

 **Zabin: insect**

 **Vor: stay (Again my own word. And again if anyone knows the actual word let me know.)**

 **Ell-osde: you**


	21. Chapter 21

**Do It Like They Do It On the Discovery Channel**

"I found your Bronco."

Were the first words out of Trey's mouth upon my idiotic decision to open the front door. Seriously, when was I gonna learn? Nothing good has ever come of me opening it. Space Invaders out the ass. Government sanctioned goon squads. Trey with a suspicious furrow to his brow and a stubborn 'I know you're hiding something from me' set to his jaw, etc.

The statement threw me, and it shouldn't have. I've been recovering for five days, maybe six, the weird memories of the brothers watching Danny play Destiny, and getting excited when he destroyed fools in Crucible were murky and questionable. But the angry growl I'd woken to this morning had been real, especially since I'd tucked myself into Osh'ikeille's chest, and the vibrations were so strong my teeth rattled in my skull. I blinked awake in alarm, and thankfully found no Xenomorphs, but _Transformers Age of Extinction_ playing on the tv. I couldn't decide if Osh'ikeille was pissed at the mistreatment of the Autobots or if he wanted the chance to hunt a giant sentient robot. Anyway, to say that the last few days have been exhausting and strange was an understatement but I felt this was no excuse for why my brain fizzled out on something so important or why I've been staring at Trey with a slack-jawed expression for the last ten seconds.

"Nina?"

I blinked owlishly, "Huh?"

He arched a brow at me. "Your Bronco?" he said slower this time. "I found it."

"It was missing?" The moment the words left my mouth, I could've smacked myself in the face.

 _Smooth, Neens. Here's a shovel just keep burying yourself!_

"You didn't know?" Some of his suspicion dissipated, only to be replaced by a concerned frown.

"I've been sick." My brain has been out of commission for so long cobwebs had formed, but if I was semi-honest, perhaps I could make the slip-up work for me. I mentally pulled myself up from the grave and dusted myself off.

"Sick?" The frown deepened, and some of the ice crystals chipped away from his dark chocolate irises. My eyes widened as he stepped into the doorway and suddenly touched my cheek. The heated gaze of Osh'ikeille scorched my back, and I casually put my hand on the doorframe to block the entrance. I had no idea what Osh'ikeille might do if he thought Trey was encroaching on his territory, but I was betting it would be ugly and bloody.

I stepped back, forcing Trey to either drop his hand or let it hang in the air awkwardly. He dropped it, his eyes flicking behind me and into the living room. Osh'ikeille was cloaked, and I had no idea where Uzkielle was. Osh'ikeille, I knew, I could trust to control himself, but I didn't want to test how far. Uzkielle was a different story, if he'd seen Trey touch me there wasn't a doubt in my mind that Trey would've already had his spine torn out.

The hostility and tension spiked, and Trey's shoulders tightened in response. His thick traps and jugular vein stretching the collar of his cotton blue shirt. Danger lurks nearby, his hindbrain undoubtedly whispered in his ear, but he couldn't pinpoint it.

"It must've been stolen." I threw out there, hoping to jar his attention. If he'd known anything about Finch at all, this conversation would've started out very differently. Which meant neither he nor the Sheriff had any idea I'd been kidnapped or even that Finch had been in town. Explaining away the disappearance of my Bronco might be a pain in the ass but nothing compared to trying to explain away anything to do with Finch.

He blinked, his eyes coming back to me as if he'd just remembered why he was here. "Stolen," he repeated. His scrutiny split between me and the inside of the house beyond. "And you didn't notice?"

I crossed my arms and leaned against the door frame wishing it wasn't so damn easy for him to see over my head. "Again, I was sick. An incursion of mutant vegetables could've wiped out the human race in the past several days without my notice."

He arched a brow at me.

My chin dipped, "Yeah, I was that damn out of it." Somewhere in the back of my mind, it bothered me how easy it was becoming to lie, but I smacked the guilt with my mental shovel and buried it instead. In order to protect everyone, lying was gonna have to be as effortless as breathing.

 _And just how long can you keep that up, Nina?..._

"And what about Danny?"

I frowned, "What about Danny?"

"He didn't notice the Bronco missing either?"

Annoyances bubbled in my tone, "No. I left the Bronco at the Swill and Trotters on the last night I worked because it wouldn't start." My brows raised, "Isn't that where you found it?"

He shook his head, "Found it abandoned on the Interstate, roughly ten miles South of town."

"Damn," I growled. "Was it stripped?"

 _Finch must've dumped it, hoping to buy himself time._ I theorized. And it would've worked had I not fought back and freed myself.

"Fortunately, no." Trey sighed, rolling his shoulders to relieve some of the tension. The skin around his eyes was tight, the suspicion gone, but it was obvious in the way his gaze shifted behind me and in the starchiness of his spine that he sensed something amiss.

Osh'ikeille made no noise, but his annoyance permeated the air, raising the hair on my arms. He was losing his patience. I shivered, feeling his gaze skate up my spine before focusing elsewhere. Probably on the man in front of me. I'd never brought up what Gul'dan had said about whether or not Osh'ikeille had actually claimed me as a mate but the sudden frigid plunge the balmy summer air just took kind of cleared it up for me.

"Will I be able to get it back soon?" I asked. Trey needed to leave. Now. But not asking would've been too suspicious. Trey's lips pursed. He could hold it while they investigated the theft, but resources are thin, and I knew the Sheriff wouldn't waste money on it since the Bronco was found intact and I was okay. But a little extra incentive never hurt. "It's my only way to get to work, and I haven't had a decent paying gig in days." Sighing, I wiped a hand down my tired face. Uzkielle's blood may have given me paranormal healing, but I was still exhausted and felt like run over dog shit. "Plus, Danny starts school soon."

Trey grimaced, he remembered the challenges Danny went through in school. On more than one occasion he brought my brother home when the bullying became too much, and Danny fought back. My kid brother was a bit on the small side for his age, reclusive, and was into things most kids were not. When he was in school, Danny felt like the alien.

 _Where is that idjit anyway?_ Now that I was thinking about him, I noticed Baymax wasn't around either. It made me nervous, which in turn Osh'ikeille sensed, and I felt him draw closer without making a single sound.

 _Calm down, they're probably with Uzkielle._ Unconsciously, I touched the fresh pink scars beneath the T-shirt I'd borrowed from Danny. Not the most comforting thought given his dislike of the big dog but the brothers had a very pack like mentality and treated Danny as if he were a pup, and protected him as such. _Still... what are they up too?_

"Is there any way you can fast track the paperwork?" I pressed, taking a step onto the porch so that the screen door could close behind me. Not much of a barrier but I was hoping Osh'ikeille might take the hint and let me handle Trey. A very subtle growl told me I assumed wrong and my hackles leapt towards the sky as Trey's head cocked and his eyes narrowed over my head.

"What was-"

I slapped a hand over my stomach and made a pained face. "Damn," I gasped, hoping like hell Osh'ikeille didn't charge out here thinking I was actually in pain. "Guess it ain't over." I blew out a breath, "Hoo! It probably didn't help that I ate a chili dog." I fanned my face, "I've got the dynamic duo. What with being sick on top of _that_ time of the month."

Trey nonchalantly took a step back, the pinched brow and tight press of his lips telegraphing his discomfort. Good. Wanna make a guy run fast, make him uncomfortable.

"Well," he rubbed the back of his neck. "I see no point in holding it." Another step away, this time his right foot pivoted towards his Jeep. "Give me a couple days, and I think I can get it back to you sometime before Monday." He paused, "Are you gonna be okay?"

I grimaced, "Did you ever see _Dante's Peak_?" I couldn't help it. Now it was a fight not laugh when Trey's mocha skin turned ashen. The eagerness to flee plain on his face. I bet the only thing his hindbrain was telling him now was RUN YOU FOOL! I bit the inside of my cheek, the pain barely sobering me.

"Okay, then," he said awkwardly. "Feel better, Neens, and I'll catch you later."

I gave him a pained smile. My cheeks stained red and burning, and my vision obscured by unshed tears. Lordy, if he didn't leave, then I was gonna stroke out. Trey waved, or at least I think he did, and I waved back as the Jeep pulled out of the drive.

My knees hit the wood porch, and I collapsed into a fit of full blown belly laughs. A brush of air was my only warning before I suddenly found myself in the clutches of a very ticked off alien. My laughter cut off with a squeak of surprise meeting those lupine golds, bright with the need to protect his territory and assert his dominance.

Osh'ikeille's heated gaze glared after the Jeep disappearing into the treeline. He growled, body taut as he leaned forward and over me, the muscles in his arms flexing against my skin. Death had been standing on the other side of the door, and the only thing that had kept Trey alive was my presence. It was a harrowing realization, one that deeply troubled me. Osh'ikeille had always been so in control, but perhaps the recent events had been too much, and it upset that balance he maintained. Or perhaps, it had more to do with his primal nature. Either way, Trey couldn't come back here unless Osh'ikeille reclaimed control of his instincts.

I spread my palm and fingers over his heart, feeling the rhythm pick up at my touch as if I controlled the very life force that flowed through him. And maybe on some level that was true, because when those normally calm amber orbs now lit with the light and the brilliance of a dying star found mine, it awoke instincts inside me that humans have long forgotten we possessed.

My fingers inched their way up his neck, tracing the almost leathery skin on the underside of his mandibles before grabbing the edge of the helmet with my nails. "Mate of the Star Breaker and Heaven's Spite," I whispered, pulling myself up by his helmet. His eyes brightened, even more, the remaining nebulas of amber lost in the supernova. "That's what the BadBlood called me."

Osh'ikeille growled, the skin around his eyes tightening ever-so-slightly at the mention of the dishonored hunter.

I ducked under his helmet and kissed his jugular vein. Smiling when his muscles jumped, and the growl took a feral edge. The exhaustion fled my body, my own primal instinct to take care of and soothe my mate at the forefront of my mind.

"Is that what I am to you, Osh'ikeille?" I asked, purposely fanning his skin with my breath.

My back hit the wall, the sunbaked wood blistering even through the cotton shirt. But I barely noticed it as the talons of Osh'ikeille's hand ran down the underside of my left thigh, lifting and trapping it beneath his arm. A pulse-pounding thrill of excitement shot straight to my core, and I shuttered at the electric jolt.

"Osh-" My vocalization of our risky position out in the open, in the middle of the day, died on a gasp when I heard the sharp tear of fabric. I hissed at the sting of his talons as they scratched my inner thigh in his haste, but my insides quivered at his touch. My body remembered him. Ached for him. And I hadn't realized just how badly until this moment.

My uncovered sex was assaulted by a savage barrage of sensations; the scorching heat of his skin; the cool bite of the metal mesh covering his abdomen and the coiling of those delicious muscles beneath the diamondback patterning of his taut flesh.

I rocked myself against him, my inner walls clenching, the fire spreading. He snarled, throwing his weight into me, subduing my movements as he trapped me between him and the wall of the house. He leaned over me, towering, dominating, so close that the metal of his helmet brushed my nose. The arm braced on the wall beside my head trembled in my periphery, his talons making the wood groan and splinter. My eyes sought his, and I was taken aback by the sheer intensity of the blackness of his pupils as they devoured the irises, leaving nothing but a thin bright band around twin black holes. And I knew instinctually exactly what he was trying to convey.

Slowly, taking care not to make any startling movements, I reached up between us and grabbed the underside of his helmet with my nails. His body went rigid, and a low warning growl rumbled deep within his chest. "You will not hurt me, Osh'ikeille." My words were breathy, but my tone brooked no argument. He snarled at this, the muscles of his abdomen coiled so tightly I could feel the rough edges of scars rubbing against my inner thighs.

I learned something very important the first time he fucked me. The mating ritual of Osh'ikeille's species was probably rough to the point of dangerous because they treated nearly every aspect of their lives as a hunt. And compared to this moment, Osh'ikeille had had way more control that first time around. So I theorized his hang up wasn't so much that I was human but _because_ I am his mate. Osh'ikeille was afraid of hurting me, his mate.

A feral smile tilted my lips, and my fingers ached as I strained to pull his head closer. My eyes narrowed, and I raised my chin, putting my own power behind my words. "Osh'ikeille," I held his eyes, "you will not hurt me." He growled softly, taking a deep inhale of my scent and the thin, brilliant gold bands still ringing his pupils were swallowed up by the black holes. "If you want me," I yanked harder on his helmet until my lips grazed the metal. "Come and claim me... Star Breaker."

Osh'ikeille threw his head back and roared, and I swear the very Earth shook with anticipation. Cupping my ass with one hand, he slid me higher. The hand braced against the wall, disappeared, but I heard and felt the shifting of his gear. My eyes found his. I leaned forward and kissed the helmet where his mandibles were hidden. The metal bizarrely cold to the touch, or maybe it was because I was burning up. My insides boiling from the insane desire that roared within me, intuitively responding to my mate.

My breath hitched, the heat of his arousal suddenly, pressed between us. I groaned, eyes rolling back as the sensory memory of his cock inside me sent a zillion little zings of electricity through my nerve endings. Everything inside me clenched my entrance aching, becoming wet from the feel of his straining shaft and its molten heat as it pulsed amidst my delicate folds.

Osh'ikeille made a strangled roar as my pelvis arched, grinding my sex against his. The strong hand cradling my ass flexed, and I hissed as those dangerous talons pricked my skin. Like before, Osh'ikeille lost himself and attacked me with the same ferocity he exhibited when fighting to protect me. The head of his virile masculinity penetrated me, embedding himself so deeply he grazed the back of my cervix.

I lied! It still hurt like a son of a bitch! I was more prepared this time; I knew it was coming. But my walls clenched at the forceful, bruising intrusion, and I cursed between breaths.

Osh'ikeille chirred quietly, nudging my sweaty forehead with his jaw. I swallowed the pained groan, my eyes fluttering back open to meet his. He made another noise of concern, his body trembling with the effort it took him to cease movement.

 _No!_

I grit my teeth, my mind and body already lost to the maelstrom. My fingers slid beneath the mesh, blunt nails tracing the steely contours of his abdomen, feeling them twitch, tightened, and flutter beneath my touch. I dug my nails in, following the sinewy tapering muscles down to where our bodies met and reveled in the low growl my roughness elicited.

"Osh-" Our eyes locked and the predator that stared back at me made it hard to breathe. "-do not stop!"

He didn't. With another earth quaking roar, Osh'ikeille almost yanked himself completely out then mercilessly his powerful fullness thrust back in, filling me, making me tremble and cry out; his need great; his motion relentless. Osh'ikeille sank himself inside me again, and again.

I dug my fingers into rippling streamline muscle over his ribs and made noises only heard in the animal kingdom. I couldn't see Osh'ikeille's face behind the helmet, but the feral intensity of his eyes ensnared me, and I could feel the incorporeal strands of the bond we shared strengthen.

 _"Mine to protect..."_ The words, his voice, rang in my head without the need of having to verbalize them.

Osh'ikeille rumbled in content and lifted me higher, my legs spreading to accommodate him. The angle changed, his hips tilted upward and hit the magic spot deep inside. I gasped, my body spasmed, and Osh'ikeille rumbled with something akin to a chuckle. The hunter found my weakness and exploited it, clearly enjoying the sounds tumbling from my lips as he thrust wildly inside me.

The sensation sent jolts from my nipples to my toes. My breath caught, and without warning, the waves of Osh'iekille's supernova crashed into me, and my back bowed from the force of the climax. My body flush with his. My walls clamped down on his cock so violently that Osh'keille climaxed with a choked snarl and a powerful thrust, seating himself deep inside me as he came...

Spent -And I mean wiped the fuck out!- I barely noticed when Osh'ikeille carried me back into the house and laid me down on the mattress. My muscles were twitching and tingling in the aftermath, little shocks making my breath catch. Osh'ikeille remained crouched beside me, his gaze roving over me. His talons gently touched my inner thigh making me shiver, but the startled rumble he made had me sliding up on elbows in confusion. He didn't look up, and I blinked in bewilderment when he started emitting a low growl.

Hissing, I locked my elbows and sat up straight. My eyes went from Osh'ikeille's bowed head to my thighs, and I suddenly realized what was troubling him. On the inside of my thighs, there was a small smear of blood, which to me wasn't all that surprising. I giggled, and his head snapped in my direction, the growl deepened letting me know he was unamused.

"You're insanely cute for an alien with mandibles," I said, my voice buoyant with laughter.

 _Not to mention insanely protective._

He cocked his head in confusion which sent me into another fit of giggles. Osh'ikeille huffed, but the annoyance etched into the skin around his eyes eased. Understanding that if I was laughing, then I wasn't really in pain.

I patted his forearm affectionately, then pointed to the pile of dirty laundry on the floor in the kitchen. "Will you grab me something to clean myself- holy shit!" I stared in horror at the Blue-Eyes White Dragon T-shirt I'd -ahem- borrowed from my baby brother since all my clothes had been dirty and or destroyed. "Oh, _shit_ ," I groaned with feeling. The dragon was looking a little more like a fat, anemic, iguana all stretched to hell and a tear right through its wings.

 _Danny's gonna_ kill _me..._

"Shit-" I yanked it over my head. "-we've gotta hide this!"

One thing my brother was very good at was revenge. Can't image _where_ the kid learned it from, but I seriously didn't wanna wake up in the middle of the night and find the stairs lined with bubble wrap! Again!

"Osh..." My words trailed off, and I froze. Osh'ikeille was staring at me in a very dangerous way. I glanced at my body, completely exposed to him now. I started to lay the ruined shirt over my bare breast only to have it snatched from me and tossed aside.

"O-osh..." I leaned away, and he followed. Crawling over me and caging me beneath him. I swallowed, hard. Eyes widening as his amber orbs blazed wolf gold. "You're going to cripple me," I half groaned, half moaned as his chest ghosted over my sensitive nipples. Osh'ikeille chuckled darkly, thunder rumbling in his chest. Fine, two can play at this game. I darted up and nipped his throat. Osh'ikeille's entire body went rigid. I leaned back with a playful grin, hoping to catch his eyes but I didn't get very far before the predator pounced, and I squealed in mock fear and delight.

...

"Nina!"

"In the kitchen, Soot Sprite," I hollered, over the nails in your eardrum racket the washing machine was making. It wobbled, groaned, and bucked beneath me, begging me to put it out of its misery, and mine. I was seriously thinking about getting my daddy's Beretta and doing just that when Danny came sliding into the kitchen. Literally, the kid slid across the floor, giggling as if he were skating on ice until his butt hit the kitchen island and killed his momentum.

I chuckled. Loving the blinding smile upon his face and the mud... mud? I did a double take, my smile twisting in confusion. "What did you do?!" I jumped off the washing machine and groaned in annoyance as it beeped to let me know it malfunctioned. It was malfunctioning because some jerk ass alien tore the lid off!

 _One problem at a time, Neens._

I heaved a sigh, "Danny, why on earth does it look like you wrestled the Swamp Thing?"

Baymax trotted in after my brother, and I stared in horror. His beautiful snow white coat was stained a hideous shade of baby poop green and brown with plant debris stuck in there too.

"We went gator hunting," he giggled, smiling proudly.

My voice rose in alarm. " You. Did. What?!"

The point between my shoulder blades and neck tightened, and I took a half step to turn and look at Uzkielle. My brow furrowed and my hackles rustled uneasily as Uzkielle tilted his head up, and I could hear him scent the air. With a breathy snarl, his head jerked in my direction, and I bristled in response. Even after a shower, airing out the house for an hour, and running the sheets through the wash, Uzkielle could still detect the scent of sex in the air.

I took a subtle sniff but smelled nothing. Not surprising. Human olfactory senses weren't cranked to Bloodhound levels.

 _Damn it! This is exactly, what I wanted to avoid!_

Uzkielle's mismatched orbs held mine with a detached coldness that chilled my blood to the marrow.

"... and then Baymax jumped in after me- Nina? Nina, are you listening to me?!"

Danny appeared at my side, his voice breaking the spell Uzkielle's gaze had cast. I blinked, and the visors in Uzkielle's helmet were soulless black.

"What?" I asked, finally glancing at my brother.

When his brows scrunched in a frown, covered in mud, it looked kind of like his face had a landslide. "We brought home dinner," he huffed.

My brow arched, "Dinner?" I glanced back at Uzkielle, noticing for the first time, the huge gator tail and head slung over his shoulder. The head alone was half the size of Danny, and combined with its long tail it was easily a ten or twelve footer before Uzkielle butchered it.

My hands curled into fists at my sides, and I stared straight into the black pits in Uzkielle's helmet. "You took my baby brother into the swamp to hunt gators?!" Oh, yeah, I was pissed. "That's fucking dangerous, Uzkielle! What if he'd-"

"I'm fine, Nina!"

"-gotten hurt?!"

Uzkielle snorted and puffed out his chest as he shoved his way passed me into the kitchen. I stumbled and glared up at his back, doing another double take as I caught sight of the bloody trail the gator left behind in Uzkielle's wake.

"Fuck!" I snarled and stomped after him. "Wait! Uzkielle!"

Uzkielle had been about to toss the severed appendage and head onto the island, but when my fingers came into contact with the warm skin of his hip, Uzkielle abruptly halted. The thick streamline muscles along his spine jumped to attention, reacting almost violently to my touch. His head slowly tilted, and I felt him watching me from behind the helmet.

The smart thing would've been not to touch him at all, but Uzkielle wasn't growling or jerking away from me. So I didn't dare withdraw my hand now because doing so would make me appear insecure in his presence. And I wasn't.

"The table," I said, my voice softer, gesturing with my free hand, while the other tentatively explored the rough contours of an old scar. Uzkielle's head turned towards the table, he trilled then looked back at me. No. Not at me. I felt his gaze settle on the pink scars traversing my breasts and disappearing beneath my tank. Uzkielle lifted a hand, and I quietly watched as his talons ghosted over the puckered, pink flesh. He made a low guttural noise that could've been sorrow, but abruptly he snatched his hand back with a snarl and stalked away from me.

I blinked in bewilderment after him. Wondering, and not for the first time, where his animosity towards humans, towards _me_ , stemmed from and why he held it so fiercely to his chest. Danny appeared beside the table, pointing at the gator's teeth and chattering a million words per second. Uzkielle opened the jaws for Danny to look inside. My head tilted in thought as I watched the gentle way Uzkielle interacted with my brother.

 _He hates humans..._ _and yet, he obviously cares for Danny._ Osh'ikeille's words ricocheted inside my skull. _Uzkielle fears you..._ The implication behind those words baffled me. Physically speaking, Uzkielle had nothing to fear from me. I'd have to get caught in the blast of gamma radiation to ever even pose that kind of a threat. No. I think what Osh'ikeille had been trying to tell me, and also confirming the instinctual feeling I already possessed, was that Uzkielle legitimately liked me but was too dense in the brain to let his animosity go. But why? Especially, when his death match against Gul'dan, the time he purred to comfort me after the barn fire, his sometimes dangerous possessiveness, and helping me heal belied his hatred!

I groaned and scrubbed at my face. Now my brain hurt on top of all the other aches and pains my body was recovering from thanks to Osh'ikeille. Danny giggled, and I peeked between my fingers. Danny was still chattering none stop, but Uzkielle's head was inclined my way. The blackness receded from the visors, and I couldn't help but think of the song _Frequency_ when I gazed into his mismatched orbs and how, like the song, we'd lost our frequency...

...

Uzkielle grumbled at me for the umpteenth time as I sized and chopped the meat. "Quit your bitchin," I huffed, wiping my sweaty brow with the back of my arm. "Danny and I can't eat it raw." The butcher blade cut through the tender meat with ease. Gator meat is tasty. Our daddy took us hunting every year when he wasn't on duty and the season was right. I was still ticked at Uzkielle for taking Danny without my knowledge, but grudgingly I knew Danny had been safe. And Danny had enjoyed hunting with the Big Dummy so much my retinas still stung from the brightness of his smile. Plus, Uzkielle had brought home enough meat to feed us for a few days. And really, making my brother happy and bringing home a free meal is a surefire way of getting on my good side. Dammit! I wanted to stay mad at him not talk myself out of it!

Uzkielle snorted, and I watched him curiously from beneath my lashes. Much to my annoyance, the gator's head sat on top of the island. Its blood smearing all over the only counter top that didn't have a zillion scratches or chips in the seafoam green -ugly as sin- formica. Uzkielle lifted open the snout, and my chin raised and angled in confusion at the way the bottom jaw loosely moved.

"Did you break its jaw?" I asked.

Uzkielle looked at me, his long dreads falling over his broad shoulders as he cocked his head and trilled unintelligibly.

"The jaw," I touched mine to assist in the translation.

"Sei'i," he said after a long pause. He grabbed the top of the upper jaw and the lower one and made a sharp wrenching motion to show me how he'd broken it. Uzkielle held up the grisly display, the gator's bottom jaw fell slack, hanging at a nearly perfect one hundred and eighty-degree angle with only a few scraps of skin and muscle keeping it from falling apart.

My eyes wandered up to Uzkielle's, and I swear his chest puffed just a little bit when I met his eyes. He grunted, and the gator's lower jaw and tongue flicked in my direction as he gestured at me with it.

I frowned, unsure if he was presenting it to me or trying to freak me out.

"We're clean!" Danny shouted from the second floor.

"Is Baymax, dry?" I called back.

Uzkielle chuffed at me, probably due to my lack of interest when my attention strayed, and I continued quartering hunks of meat.

"But-but Baymax is huge! NiiiNaaa," he whined.

I smiled, "Hairdryer's under the sink."

I could hear his exaggerated gusty sigh all the way from the top step and snickered at his misery. The dog was the size of fragn' werewolf, and I didn't envy Danny having to dry that much fur. Baymax was pretty laid back, so I doubted he'd give the boy much trouble, but a tiny evil part of me hoped he did, maybe then Danny wouldn't be so eager to play Marco Polo in a swamp infested with gators.

The hairdryer turned on a second later. Followed by Danny's squeal, a bark, and a loud crash. Uzkielle's head jerked up, listening.

"Baymax!" Danny shouted, "No!" Another heavy thud. It sounded like someone's ass just met the floor.

Uzkielle snarled.

"They're fine," I said firmly.

Uzkielle, who'd been moving for the stairs, stopped and looked at me from over his shoulder.

"Listen," I pointed up at the second floor.

He grumbled but inclined his head to listened.

"Baymax," Danny giggled loudly. "No- wait!" More giggles. "Leave TicTac alone!" There was a pissed off shriek from the ferret. Baymax yipped, and I cringed at the sound of his nails on the hardwood floor as the dog ran into a different room. "That's my towel!" Danny cried.

My eyes lowered from the ceiling and found Uzkielle, his head rocking from side to side as he listened to the sound of play. I chuckled softly, finding the canine-like movement ridiculously cute.

He looked back at me.

"If you wanna play with them then go play." A smile in my voice and on my face.

He trilled, and leant his head back up for a moment, but since the monsters upstairs were merely rough housing, he no longer seemed inclined to intervene. Grumbling, he proceeded to do... whatever it was he was doing with the gator's head.

I paused mid cut to observe. He laid the gator's head flat against the counter, the jaws wide open, and started yanking out its teeth.

The brothers collected teeth and various other pieces of their kills as trophies and only if it was a worthy kill but something about the way he handled this one seemed different. Then again, I'd only ever seen Osh'ikeille clean a trophy, and that had been only once. And he hadn't been too pleased to find Lucy in drag.

I wanted to ask, but my skin tingled with awareness, my only forewarning as Osh'ikeille suddenly appeared in the kitchen entrance. He was leaning against the frame as if he'd been there the whole time. But that was impossible... right? Stupid, ninja skills.

Uzkielle half spun to face him with a snarl, unamused by his brother sneaking up on him. The tension in the confined space soared, and my eyes flicked uneasily between the two males. Was Osh'ikeille trying to start a fight?

I frowned at this. Purposely starting a fight wasn't Osh'ikeille style, Uzkielle's _hell yes_ , but Osh'ikeille? No. Especially in such close proximity to me, and Danny.

 _What's he up too?_

It occurred to me then that Osh'ikeille had a motive behind everything he did. Even the little things.

Uzkielle slightly shifted, his back to me, in fact, he'd placed himself directly in my line of sight. My eyes widened, he was _testing_ Uzkielle and Uzkielle played right into it. A few days ago, Uzkielle would've outright attacked his brother but after he hurt me...

 _He's learning to control himself._

The powerful muscle in his back rippled beneath his skin, coiling, tightening, ready to spring but amazingly he held himself in check. Oshi'keille remained relaxed, not giving his brother any challenge. And I watched, mesmerized as those tense muscles in Uzkielle's back slowly unwound.

Osh'ikeille pushed off from the doorframe and cuffed his brother roughly on the shoulder. Uzkielle regarded him with a few clicks, and the two males exchanged one of those unreadable head nods that left all women wondering 'What the fuck just happened?'.

Osh'ikeille strode over to me, and Uzkielle's head followed his movement, but when Uzkielle's mismatched orbs found me watching him, he chuffed and jerked his head away.

Osh'ikeille got behind me and leaned over me, placing his hands on either side of the table. He really did enjoy trapping me _way_ too much. The heat of him soaked into my skin, and I giggled as he made contented rumbles in the back of his throat and started rubbing the underside of his jaw and the sides of his neck on me like a damn feline. And I got the impression that's exactly what he was doing. Marking his territory so that his scent boasted- mine, mine, mine, mine.

Clearly after reinserting- er I mean _reasserting_ his claim in- I mean _on_ me, Osh'ikeille was much more relaxed and back to his old well controlled, manipulative, cool even in the presence of the nuke-with-mandibles-Uzkielle self.

A loud crack startled me, and Osh'ikeille paused. I spied said nuke-with-mandibles through the veil of Osh'ikeille's dreads and noticed the gator's snout looked strange... because it was folded unnaturally. In half. Time for a distraction.

A huge werewolf-dog, looking very much like an uber fluffy bunny, came trotting into the kitchen with Danny hot on his heels. That'll do for a distraction. My brother always did have perfect timing. However, at the moment, he didn't look all that happy.

"Nina," he whined, his brow furrowed and cheeks puffed out.

"What's up Soot Sprite?" I grunted, jabbing an elbow into Osh'ikeille's side as the alien continued to vie for my attention. He huffed at me, but he got the message and straightened, remaining quietly at my back.

Danny's eyes narrowed on me and when his arm shot up, holding a shirt aloft, I felt the color drain from my face.

 _Bug nuts!_ Of course, it wasn't just any shirt. It was his Blue-eyed White Dragon T-shirt. The one I'd borrowed... and destroyed.

 _Crap! I meant to bury that thing in the yard._

My response was immediate and totally calm. "He did it!" I blurted, jerking my thumb at Osh'ikeille behind me. See? Totally calm.

Osh'ikeille stepped out from behind me with a bewildered rumble, his head slowly swiveling from side to side as he looked between Danny and me in confusion. Danny's eyes landed on Osh'ikeille, and I felt my stomach sink in sympathy.

"You poor thing," I said, patting Osh'ikeille's arm without an ounce of guilt for sicking the boy on him.

 _Better him than me..._

...

The beasties were fed and they were all tucked away in the living room doing who-the-fuck-cares because more importantly, they were out of my hair! Kitchen cleanup is a bitch, but I'd spend the whole damn night in here if it meant I got to be alone.

I lost myself to _Icon For Hire's,_ pulse poppin' _You Can't Kill Us_ and didn't give a rats ass if my singing annoyed the boys. They can suck it. This was me time. So I swayed my hips, stomped my feet, and even twirled while using the pink stained sponge as an impromptu mic.

On the outskirts of my vision, I saw Osh'ikeille take up his sentinel position in the kitchen entrance and exaggerated my sway just a touch more. And I watched beneath my lashes as the corrugated steely leanness of his abdomen bunched in reaction. Oh, yes, I had his attention.

A devilish smirk twitched my lips, and I bit back a chuckle as I walked over to the sink and rinsed out the sponge. The counters were spotless, much to my dismay, it meant I'd eventually have to join the heathens in the living room.

I sighed, then immediately sucked in a breath and jerked my hand out the water as pain bit into my thumb. Blood welled and mixed with the water on my skin then streaked down in several tiny channels. I'd forgotten about the butcher knife in the base of the sink, hidden beneath the suds.

Osh'ikeille materialized from thin air, startling the ever-lovin'-shit out of me. I tugged out my earbuds and growled, "Damn it, Osh'ikeille! That's it! I'm getting you a bell collar!"

The absurd image of a big red ribbon tied around his corded neck in a bow with a gold bell on the front made me giggle like an idiot.

Osh'ikelle huffed and made a dull unamused roar.

Still giggling, I flipped on the tap and placed my thumb under the running water. Osh'ikeille grabbed my hand and lifted it, turning it slowly as he examined it.

"I like it when you play doctor with me."

Osh'ikeille cocked his head at me, and my amusement only seemed to confuse him more.

"Nevermind," I said with a laugh at his expense. "Come on," I tugged my hand, and he released me. The cut hadn't been much of a bleeder anyway. "Let's go into the other room where I can continue to tease you," I touched his forearm and idly traced the dented scars the gator's teeth left behind, "and you can continue to do inappropriately cute things for an eight foot alien with mandibles."

His head tilted in the other direction as he allowed me to steer him towards the living room, and I shook my head in amused disgust.

I found Danny sitting on the mattress with Baymax curled around him. Uzkielle sat on the floor in front of them, his legs bent at the knees and his elbows resting upon them.

"Like this?" Danny asked, making a sharp gesture with his right hand.

Uzkielle leaned back, "Sei'i."

Danny blinked up at me, pride shining in his emerald orbs. "Nina! Nina! Look! Look!" He made the gesture again. "I learned a new word!"

"Whaddya mean, Soot Sprite?" I walked over and sat beside him. Baymax huffed and kicked me when I shoved his big werewolf butt aside.

"The Yachu can talk with their hands."

"Yautja," Uzkielle's deep voice rumbled.

Danny looked at him, "Yucha?"

Uzkielle rolled his shoulders, "Yautja."

"Ya-oot-chah," I sounded it out for my brother.

Uzkielle dipped his head in confirmation.

I preened, but my smile wilted with confusion. I had no idea what they were talking about. "What's a Yautja?"

"They are," Danny pointed at Uzkielle.

"So it means hunter?"

Danny sighed, "Nina, it's _what_ they are."

"Oh," I blinked up at Osh'ikeille who quietly watched our exchange from his sentry position. "It's your species? The Yautja. That's what you're called?"

Osh'ikeille nodded.

 _Well, that's not embarrassing or anything. I've fought alongside him, swapped body fluids with him, claimed him as mine, and never stopped to ask_ what _he is? Smooth, Neens. Smooth._

"Wait?" I turned back to my brother, "What were you saying about talking with their hands?"

"Oomans can't speak Yachu-" Uzkielle snorts at his mispronunciation. "-Nina. It's too hard. So Lobomon was teaching me to talk with my hands."

 _So they have their own version of sign language. Interesting..._ Another thought occurred to me.

My eyes met Uzkielle's through the helmet, "That's what you were doing with your hands the other day. You were trying to communicate with me better."

He regarded me quietly for a moment. His eyes flicked to my hands, momentarily watching as I idly spun the heavy ring on my thumb. "Sei'i," he rumbled.

"Can you teach me too?"

His eyes snapped back to mine. I couldn't read what was brewing behind those mismatched orbs, but I had the strangest feeling I'd just aroused his interest.

"Sei'i..."

...

True to his word, Trey, showed up with my Bronco before Monday. Although seeing it was now Sunday, it wasn't by much. I was amazed no one had stolen the Bronco when she was abandoned on the Interstate but then again, she wasn't very pretty anymore with her passenger door missing and the deep scarring running along her sides. Lordy, my daddy would be balling like a baby if he could see her now.

Trey hopped out of the Bronco, looking ridiculously good in a pair of black basketball shorts and a light green workout tank. "Sup, Neens," he waved and sauntered over.

I sank my hands into my pockets and walked to the other side of the Bronco as if I were checking her out. I was. But I was also careful to keep space between Trey and I. The brothers had calmed down quite a bit, but even though they were well rested, they'd grown restless. This lifestyle was foreign and too laid back for such avid hunters. They wouldn't attack Trey without a reason, but with me being mated to Osh'ikeille, and Uzkielle's possessiveness, I didn't want to inadvertently give them a reason.

"Thanks for bringing her back," I said. Asking how he planned on getting home was on the tip of my tongue when I noticed another vehicle coming down the drive.

I arched a brow at Trey, "Who's driving your Jeep?"

The driver parked behind the Bronco and leaned on the horn.

I scowled.

A man with short blonde hair and a beach bum tan stuck his head out of the window. "Yo! We gotta bounce Trey, no time for suck face."

"Can it, Brody, or I'll make you eat the court!"

"Bring it, bro," the man named Brody, jeered.

Trey waved him off and turned to me. "Sorry about him. That guy wouldn't know tact if it bit him on the ass."

"Where are you guys going?"

"Lafayette, we play an occasional game with the local deputy's." He stuck his hands in his pockets, "How are you feeling?"

My face softened, "Better."

Brody hit the horn a couple times, "Dude?! Today!"

I shot the asstard an annoyed glare, and he took his hands off the wheel with a cheeky grin.

"I gotta run, Neens." He tossed me the keys, and I caught them. Trey looked at Brody and held up a finger then looked at me. "Do you think we can hang out later? Y'know, now that you're feeling better?"

My chest tightened. "Sure, Trey," I said, knowing full well it probably wouldn't happen.

His smile brightened, and it only made the lie sting all the more. He rocked back on his heels, "Cool, cool."

The horn blared.

Trey rolled his eyes, and chuckled, "Later, Neens." He turned and headed for the Jeep, spinning so that he was facing me and jogging backward. "And replace your freaking phone, woman!"

"You gonna buy it?!"

He opened the passenger door, and laughed, "I make less than you do."

"Bye, Trey." I made a shooing motion.

Brody said something and Trey smacked him on the back of the head. Laughing, the guys reversed and drove off the property. I stared after the Jeep until it disappeared into the treeline before turning to face the brothers. I was getting better at sensing their presence. The two Yautja decloaked, their visors black, rendering their eyes unreadable. But their tense and ready body language spoke volumes, and I wondered just how long I could truly keep them a secret. Staying here was dangerous. Trying to keep them confined was dangerous. They couldn't freely hunt, and they were a danger to anyone who got too close.

 _Maybe we should leave... but... what would happen to Trey if we disappeared?_

A chill swept through me, one that had nothing to do with the temperature of the air.

 _What would happen if we didn't?..._

* * *

 **A/N: Do It Like They Do It On The Discovery Channel- LMAO! Love that song. Hello, all my lovely readers! Hope everyone enjoyed the update. Like always thanks for all those favs, follows, and reviews. :) I'd like to take a moment and shine a spotlight on Luna Silvereyes who is actual an IRL friend of mine. Her story _A New Hunt_ is amazing. She has a very strong grasp of the Yautja behavior and their way of life. With an enthralling plot and an engaging writing style, she brings us a rare glimpse of things established in the canon and her own unique twists. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. XD FYI I know it sucks but updates may be every other Thursday from now on. Between work and life, it gives me a bit more time to bring you guys my best. :) **

**Sleepyhallow1: Aah you commented twice! Thank you! I was so nervous about Ch. 20. Your love for my story is like my drug, I can't get enough :)**

 **crocfarmer: I'm sorry the updates have been slower but I'm so pleased you enjoyed the previous chapter because it was a BUTT to get right. Haha. Hope you and your friends enjoyed the update. Thanx XD**

 **angel897: Aah you make my day too :) Thanx for all the love**

 **Guest Reviewers: G1~ I will update soon :) G2~ Well, I'm really glad to know the scene between Baymax and Uzkielle played out right. It was a bit hard to write without anyone dying or getting seriously hurt. Thanx luv! G3~ *Joins in happy dance* Thank you! I will! G4~ I don't take it as a flame. You're concerned and you've stated you love my story. But it's still evolving and growing. Not even I can say for sure what will come of it. Thank you :) G5~ Lol, Baymax is quite the nanny werewolf. Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you! :)**

 **Shenandoah76209: Haha here's more XD The poor girl deserved to finally get paid after all the crap I put her through. Thanx for all the love**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: Nina and Uz's relationship is a bit on the rocks, but I think Nina's already decided what she wants ;) I'm glad you enjoy Ch. 20. It took me a few attempts to get it right. Thanx so much TSDE!**

 **hellfire45: Thank you! I've been working really hard to keep the brothers personalities separate. :)**

 **Haylz93: Haha yup the boys are back! If anyone can crack Uzkielle and get under his skin it's Nina. ;) Thank you so much for the love! XD**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: I shall keep updating XD Thanx!**

 **Black cross0: Haha your enthusiasm makes me smile. Clan symbols aren't just gifted to anyone. Yes, she did technically kill a Xeno but not by herself. It wasn't her own hunt. And I'm not quite sure how much of the canon I'm diving into. Yaut hounds were seen in Predators but it's not a technique shared by the majority of the Yautja. Thanx so much for the love! :)**

 **crystalga: Aah thank you! I was honestly nervous about Ch. 20. Your comment made my day! :)**

 **Tenfangirl: Haha wish granted ;D Nina got some much needed down time and a little love XD Thanx!**

 **kimah36: Oh, I think Uzkielle is definitely upset with himself ;) And thank you so much for the compliment!**

 **sousie: Haha I did trash her pretty badly. Poor girl. You and I were on the same wavelength, and Nina got some much deserved love ;)**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Lmao your review had me in stitches. I was seriously grinning like a mad woman! I'm so happy you thought it flowed well. It was a pain to write! Lol. Thanx Luna of the Silver eyes :)**

 **CieloDistante: Haha you crack me up. I love your reviews so much. I'm always giggling like an idiot! XD Whether she knows it or not Nina kinda acts like a female Yautja and the brothers react to it. She doesn't take crap and doesn't let them get away with it either. Hehe, you caught onto to Uzkielle. He's a hothead but he's not stupid. Thanx so much for all the love and support my friend! XD**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: The struggle is definitely real. Thanx, Maiden :)**

 **KittyKatt25: I'm glad you're curious. It means I'm doing my job right ;) And I totally agree, Danny is freakin' cute! Thanx**

 **Atlafan1286: Well, I frickin' love that you frickin' love it XD Thanx so much! Your review was such a treat :)**

 **XxShadowfangxX: What can I say? I enjoy bringing the unexpected ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Rasha007: Haha Nina got some much need down time ;) More on Uzkielle I promise. Thanx so much, 007!**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: I'm so happy you enjoyed it! I was nervous about Ch. 20. It was a BUTT to write. XD**

 **400roc: Nina knows very little about the Yautja culture but she's realizing this, and it will be explored more in the future. This story is OOC though, and I haven't decided how deeply into the canon I wish to tread. Thanx so much for the support! :)**

 **09sasha: Aah thank you! I worried about Ch. 20 a bit. Your review had me smiling :)**

 **Ally: Haha I laughed out loud to the flea fart joke too XD Thanx for the love!**

 **Hannah Bowers: I'm glad you love! Thank you! :)**

 **Almadynis Rayne: Aah you're awesome too! *Smiles like mad* Thanx! XD**

 **Kay: Eeeee I missed you too! Haha dang, I'll have to try harder to knock you out of that chair! *Rubs hands together and schemes.* It's such a relief you enjoyed ch. 20 because I was honestly nervous o.O Aww no pouting! I'll work hard to bring you more I swear! And don't worry, things will eventually resolve or Nina will force it to XD Thanx Chi'ytei, my own, my precious... Hehe, see how much you influence my writing? ;)**

 **Vanilla Skittles: Thank you! I'm so happy you like it! I do work really hard *Wipes sweat from brow.* Lol XD**

 **FrankLeroux: Haha your review made my day. Thank you! :)**

 **Zombiehorde13: Haha XD he didn't actually propose. Nina was teasing Uzkielle about the ring (her trophy from Gul'dan) and the seriousness of giving human women rings. But then it backfired when Danny thought it meant she was marrying Osh. Thanx so much for the love! XD**

 **FFEShadowfoot: Your words always bring a smile to my face. So happy you liked it! Ch. 20 was difficult to get right so I was nervous when I posted it but of course, you always swoop in and make me feel so good about my work. Thank you, Shadowfoot :)**

 **xHaRleyQuiNnSiRenx: Eeee that's where I was going when Uzkielle ripped out his spine and held it up! So glad it came across right! I'm happy you enjoyed it! Thanx so much for the love! :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**A Dangerous Game and... Flatulence? Alright, That's It! Who Wrote This Crap?!**

Black grit outlined my nails, the pads of my fingers were dry and oddly smooth for working with blistering metal for the last three hours. I scrutinized my thumb, wiggled it. The skin was unmarred, tight, whole, the whirls of my fingerprint unflawed which was weird considering I'd sliced my thumb with the butcher knife last night.

The blood, given to me by Uzkielle, has lingered in my system for more than a week and I was beginning to wonder just how long the effects would last. I hadn't sprouted any mandibles - _Th_ _ank Buddha!_ \- but I couldn't help the restless unease it caused. Perhaps physically I could see no outward concerns but what about things unseen? The cellular regeneration didn't touch _Wolverine's_ speed of healing but would it be enough to alter my body chemistry?

 _Gah!_ Growling in frustration, I folded my arms beneath my chest and propped my butt against the workbench. _This is not a goddamn comic book, Neens! Your alter ego is not gonna be the Yautja Beast Woman!_

Sunlight broke through fractures in the old rotting roof, glinting off various tools and metal plating on the work table. Dust motes spiraled in mini cyclones in the beams of light, and I stared absently as my mind ventured to places I'd been avoiding and had no wish to tread.

 _Yautja..._ I could barely say the word, but the magnitude of it weighed on me as if gravity said "Fuck Newton's Laws" and got cranked to retard physics. I suddenly had a very clear idea of how Atlas felt with the world on his shoulders. Poor guy. I understand he was being punished and all but seriously, what if his nose itched? Or he had to take a leak?

Anyway, I digress, here's some of what I know about the Yautja. They're hunters, hunters with the kind of prowess, not even the most adept predators on this planet could match. Sure, they hunt humans from time to time, because according to Uzkielle we're cunning, we shoot back, and surprisingly we win on occasion which is why our skulls are highly prized, but humans are not the ultimate prey. Aliens that use our chest cavities like private nursery's -Xenomorphs- they're the kind of game that makes the Yautjas blood sing. This type of lifestyle is what the brothers were born and raised into, and it was dangerous. Danny and I were human. _Soft meat_ as Uzkielle -the asstard- so delicately put it last night as we stayed up and started learning to converse in the Yautja sign. I'd already accepted my role as Osh'ikeille's mate, readily, in fact, but I never once stopped to think about just what that entailed.

 _Where does that leave Danny?_

If I had zero responsibility then up and leaving wouldn't be such a big deal, but Danny was still just a kid. I couldn't spirit him away to the other side of the world where we could live off grid, just so that the Yautja would have more freedom to hunt because that would only be a temporary fix. Eventually, the brothers would grow restless once more and I... and I had to wonder just how long they'd be satisfied with staying on Earth.

 _Surely, they wouldn't leave us again... not after everything..._

The muscles between my shoulder blades and neck tightened, the skin prickling in awareness. I shivered, my thoughts straying. His presence always had the strangest effect on me, while my hindbrain warned me to be leery of this predator, another part of me, the part I couldn't for the life of me put a name to, demanded I claim him. Why? I have no idea. But it was the same innate desire that drove me into Osh'ikeille's powerful arms and even though it didn't make sense, I didn't know how to ignore it or if I wanted to.

I didn't turn to look at him, but I watched Uzkielle decloak on the outer rim of my sight. Danny had gone back to school today -to which neither of the brothers were happy about or understood the importance of- and despite arguing with them, they'd refused to allow Danny to go unsupervised, and I refused to let Uzkielle be the one to go, because I was having visions of him losing his control and going all _Godzilla_ on the school yard if Danny got picked on. Hilarious and maybe even slightly satisfying in my head, not so much in real life. Osh'ikeille wouldn't stand for it either, but he wouldn't risk exposure unless he had no other choice.

To be honest after the fight this morning I'd assumed Uzkielle would brush me off and go anyway -which is actually where I suspect he's been for the last few hours- or at the very least, I didn't think he'd willingly seek me out.

Baymax, who'd been watching me from his curled position on the floor under the table slowly lifted his giant wolfy head from his paws, his ears perked and alert. The dog had taken to Osh'ikeille as the alpha and was comfortable around him, but Uzkielle was different. Uzkielle was easily the most dominant male in the house, hell probably the most dominant male I've ever met, but it takes more than dominance to be an alpha and even though Baymax gave him respect, the dog didn't really like him.

Uzkielle regarded the dog only to dismiss him a moment later with a derisive snort. Slowly, his head swiveled up and around as his scrutinizing gaze curiously roved over the inside of my workspace. Every once in awhile pausing on something worth taking an extra second to observe.

My eyes slanted on him, my chin tilted up to keep him in my sights without turning to look at him directly.

 _Okay, this is weird. He isn't forcefully invading my space, and he isn't going out of his way to be an ass._

Inadvertently, my hand went to my chest, my fingers tracing the long scars and drawing Uzkielle's attention. His mismatched orbs zeroed in on the movement, his pupils constricting as they lighted upon the scars. The thick muscles in his arms convulsed and he expelled a heavy breath that was almost a growl.

I pushed off from the workbench and made sure not to fully give him my back but kept my body slightly angled as I sank into the grind once again. Giving him my back would've been a dismissive gesture, one I doubted even with his new found restraint _he_ would've tolerated. Uzkielle didn't know me well enough to tell the difference between a brushoff and when I simply wanted to get back to work. But I knew _him_ well enough to give him space, and if there was something he wanted I'd let him come to me. If I started prodding, he'd bristle like a ticked off porcupine and either stalk off or start a fight, and more than likely I'd be left yanking quills out of my ass.

Baymax absently sniffed at my leg, his focus never swaying from Uzkielle. I touched the toe of my boot to his tense barrel chest, nuzzling the fur there, a silent way of letting him know it was alright. He sniffed at my leg to reassure himself of this before finally stretching out his hind legs in a more relax position. Baymax lowered his muzzle, but his ears remained alert and his lone cold blue orb, warily kept tabs on the hunter.

The scrap metal lay over the mapped out dimensions I'd marked on the table with chalk. It looked more like a crime scene layout than anything. Why is it that concepts always look so much more amazing in your head than in real life? I had zero artistic talent, but I've spent my entire life working with metal. So why the hell couldn't I get this right?

 _Is it just the aesthetics that are throwing me off?_

After baking under the sun for half a decade, maybe longer, the scraps had a weather-beaten look to them that I found pleasing but it still felt as though it were missing something.

 _Tooled leather would be nice..._

Baymax's throaty-whine made me jump. The dog lifted his head, his ears rotating partially back, and his mouth slightly open in a 'grin' that was on the verge of bearing teeth.

I pivoted, reacting to Baymax's anxiousness and found the source standing right behind me. _Shit!_ Engrossed in my own scatterbrained thoughts, I'd forgotten about the hunter and given him my back.

Uzkielle dwarfed me by a solid three feet, and my eyes traversed the gnarled, crisscrossing branches of scars that recounted dozens of brutal battles and a violent past. My fingers itched to touch them, to trace them over the speckles of white that formed the diamond shapes along his belly, but I clench my fists and resisted. Uzkielle's body responded to the weight of my stare, the heavy slab of banded muscle in his abdomen flexed, tightening into a dense corrugated braid that drew the eye up to the thick planes of his chest. Uzkielle took in a quiet breath, the air filling his lungs and accentuating that powerful chest even more.

He scented the air again, oddly making no noise, but something about the silence felt even more weighted than if he'd been growling at me. More dangerous. I swallowed hard, and despite every single cell urging me to back the fuck away, I fought the instinctual drive to flee and met his mismatched orbs.

Uzkielle's body went rigid, his eyes wide open and focused. It took ever ounce of control I had to keep my muscles relaxed because the last thing I wanted was for him to think I was challenging him. However, I wasn't going to cower either. And fleeing would only make matters worse.

Uzkielle took a slow step forward, his body slightly lowered as if readying to give chase. Outwardly, I forced myself not to react, but there was nothing I could do about the rabbiting of my heart. Spurred by fear and adrenaline, it beat wildly against my ribs, its frantic sound enticing the hunter closer. He leaned over me, muscles rolling with the liquid grace of molten metal, the heat pouring off of him saturated my skin as he dipped his head and inhaled the air beside my right ear.

Baymax growled behind me, his nails scratching the concrete as he got up. Without making any fast movements or taking my eyes from Uzkielle's, I fanned my fingers through the bristled fur of Baymax's scruff and quietly shushed him.

Even though Uzkielle was displaying very predatory behavior, I didn't feel threatened. Or at least not in the sense that he intended to cause me bodily harm.

Slowly, I opened and closed my eyelids, again demonstrating no challenge. That and my eyeballs were gonna shrivel up like raisins at this rate. I've never seen Uzkielle this intense before, and it worried me. I was beginning to think that not even Uzkielle knew exactly what to do next.

 _What's wrong, Uzkielle?_ An even quieter voice in my subconscious tacked on _my mate_ at the tail end of that thought. My heart ached for him. Wanted to know what was wrong. For some inexplicable crazy reason, I was drawn to both males. It didn't make a lick of sense, but I have always followed my gut. So I did just that, I trusted my instincts even if part of me feared Uzkielle might misinterpret my boldness as a freaking throw down.

I released my hold on Baymax, gripped the edge of the table behind me and carefully eased myself up on it. Uzkielle tensed, readying, his eyes wide open and attentive. The table gave me a little height, and because Uzkielle had been leaning over I was now directly at eye level with him. Surprisingly my daringness didn't elicit a growl or even a snarl from him, but he did take another quiet breath, his pupils dilating.

I was no longer simply toeing the line of danger but outright flirting with it. In the beginning, -not that I had the cojones back then to even try it- if I'd been this bold with Uzkielle he would've killed me. End of story. But now, no matter how hard he fought it, he couldn't deny his instincts any more than his brother had. Oh, but Uzkielle would still fight it, with tooth and talon, with brute strength and sheer bullheadedness he'd continue to fight it, but maybe, just maybe, I could knock some of the fight out of him. Because whether Uzkielle realized it or not, I can be equally stubborn and us Southern gals love a good challenge.

The tips of my fingers tentatively traced the solid strength of his forearm down to his knuckles and firmly laced my much smaller fingers between his. My eyes searched his, but he didn't resist or make any move to stop me as I gingerly guided his hand beneath my _Grateful Dead_ T-shirt and pressed his palm to my belly. The heat of his skin was nearly blistering against mine, his talons sending a stinging wave of gooseflesh up to my scalp and yanking my spine straight.

Exposing ones' belly or throat to a predator will fast track you to heaven, but in this case, I was demonstrating just how much I trusted Uzkielle by willingly exposing myself. Proving, not only that I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but that he wanted to be close to me.

Touch is a powerful thing. You can convey a million things in a single touch more than you can ever relate with words alone. Allowing him to touch my belly, a very vital point, I was saying I trust you. I want you. I feel safe with you but most importantly it divulged my feelings for him. I don't think the Yautja identify with _love_ the same way humans do but the term _mate_ held the same, if not a more powerful meaning.

My hand slipped away from his so that if he wanted to, he could pull away, but he didn't. The searing heat of Uzkielle's skin fused with mine as he pressed his palm more firmly against my belly, spreading his fingers wide so that he was touching as much of me as he could.

A tiny whimper snuck up on me and escaped my lips. A pleading sound that Uzkielle had not been expecting. His jaw twitched up sharply, head tilting as he watched me with guarded interest.

I leaned forward, his firm hand on my belly more of a barrier now. He wasn't pushing me away so to speak, but he was cautious and wanted to keep a little distance between us.

 _Well, that's just too damn bad for you, Uzkielle._

Human flirtatious behavior is another one of those things that the Yautja don't seem to identify with or at least not all of it; things, like making eye contact and smiling coyly, were normal for a human, but for a Yautja, it seemed to come across more as a challenge. Osh'ikeille figured out early on -before I knew better- that when a human shows teeth it doesn't necessarily mean the same thing, but Uzkielle was still learning. And so was I for that matter.

If I wanted to flirt with Uzkielle, I'd have to do it caveman style. You know hit him over the head with a club -or a frying pan- and drag him around by his dreads- okay, not really. But dammit, no matter how many concussions I will suffer from in the future, I was gonna break Uzkielle's fucking walls because like I said, I'm stubborn!

His face was just so close to mine that I couldn't ignore the temptation. Not that I really tried. Poor Uzkielle. Undoubtedly, he presumed he was the one in control here and hadn't anticipated I'd be so reckless, though, honestly, he really should've. On more than one occasion he'd referred to me as a reckless _zabin_. So when I reached up without warning and managed to grab the sides of his helmet, it was because I had the element of surprise. And surprised he was.

A growl began to stir in his chest, his body tensed, and his mismatched irises were backlit with a dangerous glow I completely ignored as I thrust my weight forward and playfully headbutted him.

My skull made a dull _thwap_ sound against the metal. It hurt but only because my brow caught one of the sharp angles of his helmet wrong.

"Ow," I half laughed, half moaned at myself. Uzkielle jerked his head up and shook it with a shocked snarl. I rubbed the newly acquired dent in my forehead, bracing a hand behind me as I leaned back. Uzkielle's hand slid from my belly to my hip in a bruising grip, making me gasp in surprise when he tugged me towards him, driving my knees apart so that his muscular thighs were between mine.

I took in a shaky breath, then another, savoring the smoldering metal and earthy scent that was unique to Uzkielle. My eyes drifted up the complex braid of his abdominal muscles, over his virile chest, and forcing my back to bow at an uncomfortable angle in order to meet his eyes.

I shivered. The same possessiveness I'd glimpsed the night he fought the Badblood spread and clouded his irises like a storm front. Uzkielle's head dipped down, and he growled in a way that I've never heard before. It was quiet and possessive, sure, but oddly it wasn't aggressive, it was...

My heart beat a little faster, and the hunter, intrigued by the sound, leaned a little closer. I mimicked him and watched him from the corner of my eye as I got a tiny bit closer, my cheek grazing the edge of his helmet. He growled again. I smiled mischievously, widening my eyes playfully and sliding my cheek along the metal until my lips whispered over the skin of his throat just under his jaw. From this position, only his amber orb held my gaze, and it brightened to a feverish wolf gold as my tongue darted out for a quick taste. Uzkielle made a shuttering growly noise in the back of his throat, his talons painfully digging into my skin. I smiled against the pulse that leaped against my lips and took it a step further. Trusting my gut, trusting that I read the situation right, I daringly nipped his skin.

Uzkielle froze and exhaled a low huffy breath. I ducked my head slightly, peeking up at him. Wondering if maybe I'd taken my antics too far, pushed him too far.

He stared down at me, the amber-gold of his iris so rich it glittered and revealed his intent. The sudden thrill of excitement made my breath catch and caused my heart to take a flying leap into my ribs. My hands slid across the rough pressboard grain of the cheap table and braced behind me. Uzkielle's eye widened ever-so-slightly. He dipped his head lower, tilting his jaw up so that my lips brushed his throat and growled, tempting me. Daring, me.

With a mock growl of my own, I nipped his throat and immediately retreated, pulling myself away from him. Unprepared for the movement, I slipped out of his hold. The sudden, forceful jerk inadvertently caused his talons to scratch my thigh. I scooted my butt along the scarred, uneven pressboard until I felt the edge of the table and stopped. I lowered myself but tilted my chin up defiantly at the hunter watching me with predatory focus.

Uzkielle growled, hunching slightly. Stalking me now. He placed both hands on the table and leaned forward, making it groan under his weight. I shifted one leg up, bending it at the knee. The hunter stilled, but his eyes begged me to run so that he could give chase.

I bit back a nervous giggle, even though Uzkielle was playing with me, the Yautja was one scary mother fucker. When I first bit him, I thought I'd taken it too far, but his muscles were relaxed- er well, relaxed for someone as intense as Uzkielle. The guy was never, ever truly relaxed. And _playing_ with Uzkielle was a bit like skydiving. You take a leap of faith and hope like hell your luck doesn't run out.

I brought my other leg up then dropped it over the edge. I tried to touch the floor with my toes but I'm too short so it just kind of hung there awkwardly. My eyes flicked from Uzkielle's ready focus to the door that sat ajar behind him and that single moment was all Uzkielle needed. The hunter sprang.

I squealed in shock, fear, and excitement as arms wrapped around me. The table toppled over, crashing to the floor and sending all of my supplies skittering across the unforgiving concrete. Baymax yelped.

"Oof," my breath was forcefully expelled from my lungs. Uzkielle had taken us to the floor, his arms still holding me to his chest. Even though he was careful not to crush me said chest was blocking my airways, I'd be totally fine with this position if not for the necessity of oxygen- ah, screw it. It felt so damn good to be touching him this way. Who needs to breathe am I right?

Uzkielle shifted, his arms sliding out from under me and lifting himself off me.

 _Nuts._

He locked his elbows and stared down at me. His dreads were longer than Osh'ikeille's, adorned with numerous metal bands. I've never seen them this close before, most of them were the same as Osh'ikeille's, but some of them were different.

I held up my hand and compared my trophy from Gul'dan to one of the bands. It was similar but not the same. The bands on their tusks were more ornate than the ones in their dreads.

 _I wonder..._

Stretching my arm a little higher, I experimentally touched one of the appendages. Uzkielle's chest shuddered with a breathy exhalation, the muscles in his arms taut as steel cables. The unnerving scrape of his talons scratching the concrete made my stomach clench and even before my eyes rose to meet his I knew, I'd crossed the line.

Uzkielle's eyes were solid black, the irises obliterated, consumed. A Yautja's dreads are very sensitive, something I picked up on while spending time with Osh'ikeille. It excited him in more ways than one; making him purr or growl depending on what I did. So like an idiot I'd assumed Uzkielle would have the same reaction... you'd think by now I would've known better. The eerie imitation of a great white's eyes exposed just how much Uzkielle enjoyed me touching his dreads, but I think until this moment he hadn't realized _what_ he'd been doing with me.

He blinked, coming back to himself and growled quietly as he slowly shifted into a crouch. I stared after him, propping myself up on my elbows. He made a noise in the back of his throat that I interpreted as disgust. The rejection stung, but I didn't let it show.

Knowing that I'd lost the battle today, I decided I should try at least getting us back to neutral territory. I sighed and pulled myself up into a sitting position. "Uzkielle..." Baymax interrupted me with a low whine and sat beside me, leaning his chest into me and putting his face in front of mine. "Baymax what are you doing?"

He whined again, touched his nose to my chin then looked at Uzkielle. Baymax's ears perked forward as he lowered his body to the ground and rubbed his massive wolfy head against my belly. Uzkielle growled at this. Baymax growled back while laying a paw over my leg and resting his muzzle on it.

I frowned and tapped Baymax head, "Stop goading him you bratty dog."

Baymax glanced up at me with a whiny-bark and a sniff.

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Uzkielle who was staring at the dog with nothing short of murderous intent. "Idjits," I sighed, pushing the werewolf off my lap and stood.

"Uzkielle-" Uzkielle's orbs slid from the dog to me in a very creepy, very annoyed manner. "-I could use your help with something."

If I wanted to prevent Uzkielle from stalking off and stewing over what transpired, then I had to hold his interest. The hunter cocked his head and slowly rose to his feet, his guarded eyes following me as I picked up the tools and supplies that had scattered to the four corners of the shed.

"In fact," I palmed my forehead, "why didn't I think of this sooner? Duh, Nina." I glanced up at Uzkielle, "Your armor is the perfect model after all."

His jaw ticked up at that. I'm guessing the word 'model' was another one of those terms lost in translation. I aligned the scrap with the chalk outline of my brother.

"Awu'sawa," he said, accompanying the word with a hand sign. "Armor." With his unearthly, guttural voice the enunciation wasn't clean, but I heard the word clearly.

It was funny. Uzkielle had such a short fuse and yet when it came to teaching my brother and I how to use the Yautja sign he was incredibly patient. I briefly recalled the time Uzkielle found out I'd learn what a Kiande Amedha was and the way he snarled at his brother for divulging that information to a human. Whether he was aware of it or not, and I'm guessing not, Uzkielle had warmed up to me quite a bit.

I didn't even attempt to repeat the word he'd said, but the sign was pretty simple compared to some of the others.

"Sei'i," he dipped his head when I duplicated the sign correctly. "Awu'sawa." His eyes took in the shards and scraps on the table then settled on my face. "What 'dis?"

I chuckled quietly, finding it ridiculously cute when he mispronounced 'this' the same way he and his brother said 'ooman' rather than human.

"Danny wants to be a hunter." I picked up one of the battered pieces and mindlessly traced the patterns etched in the metal after years and years of being exposed to the elements. The armor was meant to be a costume for Halloween, which meant I only had a few weeks to finish the damn thing, but recently I'd begun considering the hard truth of our situation and thought about making it more substantial than a simple costume. It scared me how much Danny idolized the brothers. Danny legitimately wanted to be a hunter, and the brothers apparently had no qualms about taking an eight-year-old (or at least not Danny), human boy under their wing. Uzkielle had already taken Danny on a hunt and arguing with an almost nine-foot tall hulking alien was kind of like arguing with a slab of granite. I could forbid Danny to go on future hunts, but in doing so I risked insulting my mate and the Yautja way of life.

"Damn it!" I growled. "Why does my life have to be so damn complicated?"

Uzkielle trilled quietly, his eyes regarding me with confusion.

"I mean I'm supposed to protect him right? He's my baby brother. How can I let him- let you guys teach him to be a hunter? Aren't mothers supposed to protect their younguns from crap like this? Shit- I mean I'm not his mother, but I'm the closest damn thing he's ever had to one! What am I doing?! I'm not supposed to fashion him armor, kiss him on the forehead and allow _aliens_ of all things to mentor him in the art of Klingon-kick-butt and how to gank a grizzly with a freaking toothpick!"

Frustrated I slapped my palms on the table, making it shake.

 _Am I doing this right?_ My nails bit into the pressboard so hard my knuckles went white. _Am I doing_ any _of this right?!_

"Fuck. I've been unconsciously- and yet systematically cutting off our ties to the outside world. Pushing away good people like Trey and Glynda, and all for what?" My eyes snapped up and found Uzkielle's. "I can't rationalize my behavior strictly based on what I feel for you and your brother that's..." I bit the inside of my cheek and spun away from him, angry that I'd allowed my emotions to get the better of me. Uzkielle would only see it as a sign of weakness. "...that's not fair to Danny. The kid deserves to be a kid. To grow up normal and have normal problems."

A gale of heat breathed along my spine, and I tensed in response to Uzkielle's unexpected and soundless presence at my back. I quieted my breathing. My eyes wide, and throat clogged with a different worry altogether now.

 _Crap! What did I do?!_

A low rumble stirred in Uzkielle's chest. The vibrations rippled across my skin, teasing my muscles, driving the tension out and calming me. I wasn't sure what brought this on. The one and only other time, Uzkielle, has ever purred for me was after the barn fire. I missed it. Missed the way it felt to be comforted by him. The innocuous, hypnotic sound soothed me, but most importantly it made me feel safe. Maybe even safe enough to push the boundaries just a bit more.

I took a tiny step back, closing the gap between us and relished the feverish heat of his body aligning with mine. The gentle purr emanating from his chest faltered for a second then increased in volume and intensity. I smiled and leaned into him. Uzkielle reciprocated and lowered himself enough to brush the underside of his jaw over the crown of my head.

"Is this your way of shutting me up?" I tilted my head back, forcing him to straighten. Though his mismatched orbs remained guarded, and a war still raged behind them, he seemed solely focused on me. "Because you know, it's totally working."

He snorted dismissively, his eyes purposely wondering away from mine.

"Danny's just a kid."

He blinked down at me.

"Do you have any idea how he sees you?"

He trilled, his head tilting and eyes narrowing in either confusion or waiting for clarification.

"Danny sees you and Osh'ikeille like fathers. Do you understand what that means?"

"Siiire," he rumbled.

The term Sire sounded a bit too impersonal for the point I was trying to make, but it would have to do.

"Yes. Sire. Do you understand the gravity of that word to a human kid? Especially to one who's already lost his real father?"

Uzkielle stepped to the side but did it in a way that kept his body flush with mine while lifting his arm to show me something. His other arm came over my shoulder and brushed my chest as he tapped the tiny comp screens in the bracer guarding his right forearm. A hologram blinked shakily into existence, and I gasped in delight.

What can I say? I'm a hopeless Trekkie fangirl.

Uzkielle snorted at the sound I'd made, but he didn't seem put out, merely amused at out how easy it was to excite me.

The fuzzy halo around the holograms edges cleared and when I realized who I was looking at my eyes widened and my stomach dropped.

I grabbed Uzkielle's forearm and yanked the hologram closer to my face. "Danny?" My kid brother was standing in a strange room, the point of view slightly obscured by a thick fog. "Uzkielle," I blinked up at him. "What is this?"

He chirred impatiently and jerked his jaw towards the hologram. Uzkielle-speak for shut up and watch. I did but only because I was curious and not because the dummy wanted me to. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

My brows furrowed. Something else about this picture was off and it took my brain a moment to break it down for me. The recording had to be from one of the brothers' helmets and whoever it was had to be either lying on their back or doing a handstand for some bizarre reason.

Thick fog billowed up from the floor, mingling with a dense smoke filling the room. The high-tech looking consoles behind Danny clued me in on where he was.

"This is the inside of your ship," I said absently, more to myself than to Uzkielle.

I felt him nod in affirmation anyway.

"And the one watching Danny, is that you?"

"Sei'i," he rumbled.

Danny, my ballsy, baby brother with no sense of self-preservation what-so-fucking-ever spotted Uzkielle and ran over to him. Ducking under a fallen structure and side stepping a tangle of hanging live wires that sputtered and sparked electric arcs, Danny fell on his knees and frantically hovered over Uzkielle.

There was a series of sharp popping noises and a scratchy whir then unexpectedly I got audio with the hologram.

 _"Don't worry! I'll hel-hel-hel-help you!"_

The audio must've been damaged because the feedback was really bad but hearing my brother's determined voice filled my chest with pride.

 _"Hey! Don't growl at me! I'm-"_ Static. _"-elp you!"_

Danny crab-crawled beside Uzkielle's head and the angle changed as Uzkielle shifted.

"This is when you crashed," I said abruptly. The dark metallic-looking structure crumpled around Uzkielle like a tin can kind of gave it away.

Uzkielle made a noise that could've been an affirmation, but I wasn't paying him much attention.

I heard an all too familiar shriek, and my body seized.

Danny spun around. Uzkielle's line of sight swung between my brother and the demonic, mutant scorpion scaling the ceiling like a bat right out of hell.

 _Facehugger._

I've only seen the ugly little hellspawn once and once had been enough.

Danny stepped backward and tripped over Uzkielle's big head, obscuring everything. The image shook, the hologram became fractured, I heard a distorted whirring that grew almost deafening before a _spange._ Another shriek. The hologram refocused and I saw the facehugger leap, it's creepy spidery legs outstretched towards Uzkielle's face a fraction of a second before it was vaporized by some sort of energy blast.

The image fizzled again then sharpened, bringing my baby brother into focus with a very alien gun in his hands. The barrel smoldered orangy-red, and even though the large weapon looked a bit cartoonish in Danny's small hands, the kid held it like a pro.

 _Thatta boy!_

Danny grunted as the weight of the gun forced him to lower his arms, but the kid's face was all business. Danny jerked his chin up defiantly, his lips pressed into a thin line. _"You're lucky my-my-my-my sister wasn't here!"_

I cracked a smile at that. _Damn, straight._

Danny looked back at Uzkielle and grinned. _"My sister taught me how to shoot and not to take crap from anyone."_

The angle changed as if Uzkielle were cocking his head at my brother.

The hologram did a retard Cha Cha Slide then my world nearly crumbled. Danny was standing over Uzkielle, attempting to actually lift the rubble pinning the hunter when I saw a black silhouette take shape behind him and from one breath to the next my brother was suddenly gone.

"Wait?! What happened?!" My nails dug into Uzkielle's forearm. Forgetting for a moment that this was a past event.

The image flickered, constricting into a thin line then exploded outward. The scenery changed, and I immediately recognized the dense foliage of the swamp. My heart lurched up, clogging my throat, smothering my breath. A Xenomorph had my baby brother, her long segmented tail curled around him and holding him aloft.

 _"You better le-le-let me go!"_ Danny struggled, but his arms were pinned at his sides. _"Think you're so scary-"_ His legs kicked empty air. _"-my si-si-ster invented scary! And she'll wipe the floor with you, you stupid bug!"_

A smile twitched my lips, only to dissolve into a scowl as the Xenomorph raised its sloping head and let out an eardrum piercing wail.

My brother's words from all those weeks ago from the time he first brought home Osh'ikeille, who'd been dubbed Pakkun at the time, came flooding back.

 _"...there was this big bug thing, Nina! You should've seen it! It was so cool!..."_

There was a familiar Earth quaking roar, and Osh'ikeille landed on top of the Xenomorph. It tossed my brother, and Uzkielle caught him.

 _"...it had me wrapped in its tail then Pakkun fell from the sky and hit the bug thing with lightning!..."_

Osh'ikeille held the Xenomorph up by its throat. There was a familiar whirring sound and the image went white and burst into a shower of sparks that faded into nothing. I filled in the blanks myself after that. The Yautja, even though they were ruthless and proficient killers lived by a strict honor system. Whether or not Danny's intervention had saved Uzkielle's bacon, the brothers were honor bound to protect him.

 _"Can I keep him?..."_ I snorted softly at the memory.

Uzkielle firmly pulled his arm from my grasp. It had to be pushing a hundred today, but even so, gooseflesh prickled when he moved out from behind to stand in front of me. I sighed, unsure if he was purposely putting space between us again or if he simply wanted to catch my eyes. Of course, knowing Uzkielle, it was probably both.

Uzkielle grunted, startling me when he cuffed my shoulder with a heavy hand. The force made me stagger a step and the sting had me draw in a sharp breath. It got my attention, and I blinked up at him with thinly veiled annoyance.

"Braave sssucKling will maaKe ssstrong huunTer," he slowly ground out, the depth of his voice sent vibrations through the air. It struck me then, listening to him speak that Uzkielle was much more intelligent than he let on. He was a hot head that's for damn sure but minus a few inflections he'd spoken in near perfect English. He'd always been better at it than Osh'ikeille, but evidently, he's been practicing.

I had to give the guy credit. Despite not seeing eye to eye with me and having a bitter dislike of humans in general, he was legitimately trying to communicate better. Of course, that might be a byproduct of studying ones' prey.

Reaching up, I touched the back of his hand. He tensed a bit, the hand on my shoulder tightening reflexively.

"Uzkielle," my eyes searched his, and he rumbled quietly, "promise me you'll protect, Danny."

His eyes narrowed to slits, undoubtedly confused as to why I'd ask such a thing when he clearly already protected the boy as his own.

My fingers tightened around his, my gaze serious and pinched. I had to know. I had to be sure because there was an unmistakable tightening in my gut. The same kind of wrongness that foreshadowed the brothers Houdini act all those weeks ago. "Promise me, Uzkielle. Promise me you'll keep him safe no matter what."

An indiscernible, low noise curled in his throat. Not quite a growl but not a whine or a bark either. His lids lowered until his eyes were nothing more than slashes behind the helmets visors. He'd understood my words. I think it was the edge in my voice that caused him to pause.

Sensing my anxiety, the hunter forgot about the space between us, and the hand at my shoulder slid up the back of my neck and sank into my hair. It didn't seem to matter how hard he fought it; his instincts drove him to calm me. With faint thunder rolling in his chest, he knelt down and touched his forehead to mine and rumbled in a tone of gentle darkness, "Sei'i..."

...

"It's not funny, _Nina_!"

I chuckled at my brother's expense. The family -never thought I'd use that word again- assembled in the kitchen, something of a natural occurrence when I was cooking, or bitching. And with two Yautja, a werewolf-sized dog, and a boy determined to be a hunter, the tiny space always has the potential to turn into a matchbox-sized smackdown arena. It should give me cause to worry, and it does, but it also filled me with a sense of serenity that I haven't felt in years.

Danny continued to glare at me, watching me from his hunkered position on the other side of the island. His squatted stance made it look as though the counter bisected his face so that all I could see were his annoyed emerald orbs.

"O-o-oh-" I drew out the word, absently adding chopped onion to the gator gumbo I was spelling up. "-but it is." I stared at my brother coolly from beneath my lashes, willing myself not to laugh as I teasingly tacked on, "Suckling."

 _Thank you, Uzkielle for my new favorite word!_

Danny's brows slammed down so hard the kid had a unibrow, and I could no longer contain the laughter. I giggled, and Danny started hissing and spitting like a wet cat.

"Nina! It's not funny! Stupid, Mononoke sister!"

"Wha-what-" I was having trouble forming words betweens giggles. "-ever you say, _suckling_!"

Danny scoffed and pushed off the counter angrily, his cheeks ruddy and mouth twisted in a silent snarl. He jerked his head away from me, eying the other two occupants in the room suspiciously. Osh'ikeille had been with the kid all day at school, a conclusion Danny must've come to as well because the full force of his 'death stare' was suddenly unleashed upon Uzkielle.

My smile wavered, my hands froze in the process of chopping celery, and I watched Uzkielle carefully. He wouldn't hurt Danny, but I wondered if he'd feel the need to put the kid in his place.

Uzkielle straightened, standing a bit taller, and stared down at the boy intently, his lower mandibles flicking out briefly. The aroma of the gumbo must've intrigued the brothers because they both removed their helmets once I started cooking. The hunters were scary enough with their helmets on, but boy howdy when they had them off, and they were angry? Yeesh!

"This is your fault isn't it?" Danny accused, staring at Uzkielle without the slightest inkling that by doing so he was provoking the Yautja.

I stared at Uzkielle nervously, wondering if I should intervene.

Uzkielle didn't fully understand what he was being accused of, but to my relief, he didn't take the boy's challenge seriously. In fact, he shocked the hell out of me by teasing the boy with a snort and a nod, as if he found the situation amusing.

Osh'ikeille chuckled, the sound like rolling thunder. Danny speared him with an unfriendly look, then glared harder at Uzkielle, even baring his teeth. "It's not funny! Why did you teach her that, Lobomon?! Now she's just gonna be mean and call me _that_ all the time!"

Uzkielle's mandibles flared out, revealing his teeth, the growl curling in his chest wasn't angry, merely annoyed. He was losing his patience now.

"Danny-" The boy shot a heated glare at me from over his shoulder. "-you can't brow beat a Yautja. You will lose every time."

His mouth worked stubbornly. He didn't like to lose. My shoulders pinched as a sly grin broke across the boys face. It gave me chills, and I was about to tell him not to do anything stupid when Danny ran for Uzkielle without warning.

"Danny, no-"

Danny rose up on tiptoes and wrapped his arms around Uzkielle's waist and startled the shit out of everyone in the room.

 _Oh. My. God! Is he? No way!_

But he was. Danny was hugging, Uzkielle. Hugging, him!

Baymax stood at attention beside me, keening and barking anxiously.

My wide eyes blinked up at Uzkielle. The Yautja's mandibles were outspread, his body tense. I tensed too until I realized the way Uzkielle held his arms out and away from my brother. The kid had surprised the hunter that's for damn sure, but Uzkielle had remained conscious of _who_ had so boldly rushed him.

Uzkielle's mismatched orbs were wide and uncertain, but his mandibles slowly retracted, tucking close to his face. He inclined his head, looking down at the child with what had to be profound confusion.

Movement at the kitchen entrance brought Uzkielle's eyes up, and my eyes followed his. Osh'ikeille stood very close to his brother, something neither of us had noticed. He must've moved the moment Danny had, ready to intervene. Uzkielle didn't appreciate the distrust and growled at his brother, his lower mandibles twitching back out. Osh'ikeille dismissed his brother's attitude with a huff while rolling his shoulders to relieve the tension. Uzkielle scoffed then looked down at Danny, his head bobbing in bizarre bird-like movements that clearly suggested he had no idea what the fuck to do or how to interpret Danny's behavior.

My stifled giggle came out as a snort, garnering Uzkielle's attention. I smirked, and his head tilted, his gaze narrow and withering. I widened my eyes ever-so-innocently and batted my lashes. He only glared harder.

I snorted and cocked a hip, "Hard to look scary with an eight-year attached to your legs."

He snorted in annoyance.

Laughing, Danny shifted, showing us his smiling face without letting go. He glanced up at the perplexed Yautja, "That was for teaching my mean sister new words." Danny squeezed Uzkielle a little harder then let go. "And that was for making Chad Watkins pee his pants."

I blanched, "Wait? What?!" I looked between the two and crossed my arms. Danny had just confirmed my worst fears. That not only had Uzkielle ignored me and gone with him to school, he'd also apparently scared Danny's bully shitless. My eyes narrowed on Uzkielle, "What did you do?"

Uzkielle snarled at me.

"It's no big deal, Nina." Danny came around the counter and stacked the little wedges of celery. "Chad just thinks I see dead people now," his face split with an evil grin, "and control them."

I palmed my forehead, "You two are so brain dead sometimes. That was so dangerous!"

"No one saw, and Pakkun sent Lobomon home after Chad ran inside crying for his mama."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I raised a brow and gave him - _le gasp_ \- the mom stare.

Danny jerked his chin up defiantly, clearly, he didn't see the danger of that prank. My brow ticked up a little higher. Danny squirmed, looking a little bit like a deer caught in headlights now. No one can combat the mom stare.

"No one saw!" He repeated, defensively. "I swear, Nina!"

Suddenly feeling I'd aged ten years, I relented with a tired sigh and rubbed my left temple absently. Hoping to stave off an impending headache. "Okay, other than pulling a Shyamalan, did anything else happen? Did you enjoy your first day back at school?"

Danny shrugged, "Not really."

"Danny," I said. Feeling helpless when he dodged my eyes.

"I don't like school, Nina." He looked at Osh'ikeille, "I don't fit in."

"Danny, wait."

"Come on, Pakkun," he ignored me and bounced over to Osh'ikeille, his happy-go-lucky nature instantly snapping back. "Come, on. Come, on! I wanna show you something!"

Now that peeked my interest, and secretly I was a little jealous. It really felt like Danny favored the twins over me, but then I recalled the recording Uzkielle had played and what Danny had yelled at the Xenomorph. _"... my sister invented scary..."_ I smiled to myself and followed after Osh'ikeille who was allowing Danny to drag him into the living room.

I stopped in the entrance and leaned my hip against the frame to observe. Uzkielle came up behind me, his heat teasing my skin. The proximity was shocking, and I snuck a glance at him, but the hunter wasn't watching me. So I had to wonder if he'd done it purposely or if Danny's hug broke the circuitry in his brain somewhere.

Danny pulled Osh'ikeille along by the hand, talking excitedly a mile a minute about... _Yu-Gi-Oh!_? What the hell?

"I even have _Toon Dark Magician Girl._ She's one of my favorites!" The boy relentlessly prattled on, all the while guiding a very confused Osh'ikeille around. It was cute the way he patiently followed my brother, and I smiled wistfully at him when he glanced over his shoulder at me in question. I shrugged. I had no idea what the kid was up to either.

"But the _Blue-Eyes White Dragon,_ " Danny spun and smiled oh-so-innocently, while I, on the other hand, stiffened as gooseflesh caused the roots of my hair to painfully snap to attention and the color vacated my face, "that's my ultimate favorite!"

Danny sat on the edge of the mattress and patted the spot on the wood floor beside him. The brothers weren't fond of the broken, old pullout sofa and one of them always slept in that spot with their backs against the wall.

"Come, on," Danny coaxed. "Please," he turned on the charm and flashed Osh'ikeille those dangerous, full of child innocence, dazzling emerald orbs. "It's only fair that I teach you some things about humans."

I shivered. There were days I was sure the devil had taken hold of Danny. For a brief moment, I considered warning Osh'ikeille, but part of me shared the same evil trait as Danny.

Osh'ikeille chirred quietly, regarding Danny for a second. Even if instinct told him something about this situation was seriously wrong, Danny was just so non-threatening. So sweet. So innocent. _Horse shit!_

Slowly, Osh'ikeille lowered himself to the floor.

Danny tugged the edges of the sheet, keeping it from sliding around as Osh'ikeille sat.

My brows furrowed. _When did I take out the laundr-_

"Brrrrapppffft!" "Pfft..." "Pfft..."

The bombshell of all sounds ricochet throughout the room; it disoriented the brothers so badly, they both instantly took up offensive stances. One second I was staring at Danny in sheer horror, the next Uzkielle was in front of me with his combistick in hand, crouched and growling in warning.

Danny started laughing, not giggles, but full blown belly laughs that would lead to the kid hyperventilating. Baymax barked, a mix of excitement and wariness, somewhere out of sight. I couldn't hold back, it was just too fucking perfect. My knees hit the floor, and I burst into a fit of side stitching giggles.

"Oh, my-" Laughter filled my voice, and I had a hard time taking in enough air. "-god! Danny!" I coughed as the machinegun giggles kept firing. "That was epic!"

"I-" Danny gasped for air. "-know!"

The Yautja, however, did not see the humor. Uzkielle still crouched, spun around to look at me. His dreads slapped his shoulders, and he cocked his head sharply, his mandibles clicking together in agitation.

I patted my chest, my eyes watering as I tried to catch my breath. "It's okay, Uzkielle," my voice broke, and I coughed into my hand. "Danny was just playing. There's no danger." I raised my voice, "There's no danger, Osh'ikeille."

"Unless that came from Baymax's backend!" Danny guffawed.

"Or yours!" I chortled. Danny pealed with laughter, not denying it, or even offended.

Uzkielle snarled and shook his head, loosening the rigidity of his spine.

I stood and placed a hand on Uzkielle's broad shoulder. The muscles bunched beneath my fingers but he didn't shrug me off the way I thought he would. He actually seemed to relax just a touch when I applied more pressure and cuffed him, in the same manner, he'd done earlier to me in the day.

He snorted dismissively, still annoyed, but his head followed me as I walked around him.

In the living room, I found Danny on the floor holding his gut, trembling with laughter, face red and wetness seeping from his eyes. Osh'ikeille was crouched on the floor beside the boy, scrutinizing the whoopee cushion gripped in his talons. He tilted his head, unsure what to make of the flat, rubber object.

"It's a toy," I said, a hint of laughter threading my voice.

Danny sat up, took a breath, and rubbed his face with his shirt. "Pakkun," he took another giant breath. Osh'ikeille lowered the toy and stared at my brother. "Don't mess with the Blue-eyes," Danny said with a smile so innocent angels would puke.

Osh'ikeille trilled, his mandibles flicking. He looked at Danny, then at the whoopee cushion. Deciding he'd had enough of Danny's antics, or just finally reaching the end of his patience, Osh'ikeille, shredded the offending object with an irritated, huffy growl.

"Pakkun!" Danny whined.

Shaking my head, I turned around, my shoulders shaking with silent mirth as I side stepped Uzkielle and headed into the kitchen. Raised voices, clicking, barking, and growls filled the house. I smirked to myself.

 _Fridiots..._

But they were my fridiots...

...

"Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!"

Danny was so excited, the kid's words were crashing into one another. He bounced on his toes, and I hissed when my finger got pinched between two of the shoulder plates I was attempting to fit into place. I stepped backward, trying to get a better idea of how it should be connecting and nearly tripped and fell into Osh'ikeille's lap. He grunted and steadied me with a hand on the back of my thigh. Why he'd decided to nap there was beyond me. It was cute but annoying. Cockroach motels were roomier than this shed, and I kept stubbing my toes on his rock solid legs!

 _Damn, still too big._ I set one of the pieces aside on the table behind my rambunctious brother.

Even with the wiry muscle he'd obtained after nearly three months of hellish training, Danny was still thin as a reed. And when I say hellish training, I mean, melt your face off kind of hell! When my kid brother ran the show, I thought drill sergeants had nothing on him, but when we started running with the twins, I wanted to soak in a vat of ice cream afterward while eating it!

"This is so cool, Nina! I'm gonna be a hunter- er well, I will be, anyway. Lobomon says I'm an..." His face puckered in thought and he glanced over at Uzkielle who was leaning against the workbench, near the door, with his arms folded over his chest. "... an Un-blood, right?"

"Sei'i," Uzkielle rumbled.

"Un-blood?" I inquired absently. I was curious, but I was also focusing on getting this fraggin' hunter gear fitted. Halloween had crept up on me within the blink of an eye. The past several weeks simply flew by, or at least it had for me. Danny, on the other hand, might argue that. School had been frustrating and difficult, not the school work itself because my kid brother excelled at that, but the constant struggle to fit in. Danny just wasn't happy until he was home with the Yautja and me.

So I really wanted to get this armor/costume piece perfect, and I only had two days left to do it. Danny and I lived too far out in the sticks to do any kind of trick or treating, however, this is Lousiana. And there ain't nothin' us Louisianans love better than partying. Halloween is a big thing out here and everyone gets involved. There would be old mansions dressed to the nines in haunted house madness, costume contests, and even a zombie hunt. Danny and I looked forward to it every year, though, I had to wonder what exactly we'd do with the Yautja.

"I have to go through a... um..." his face scrunch again. "Blooding!" He said, snapping his fingers.

My hands stopped playing with the leather -Osh'ikeille had so sweetly given to me for this piece- and my brow furrowed as I looked up at him from my crouch position. "Blooding?"

Funny how that word didn't fill me with warm fuzzies. What the in the holy fish sticks were they teaching my baby brother?! I should pay more attention.

"My first sussessful-"

"Successful."

"-hunt!" He never even heard me interrupt him and he was vibrating from head to toe with excitement. "Then I'll get to wear the mark!"

I cocked my head, "Mark?"

Danny tapped his forehead, "The one above their eyes."

My brows raised, "You mean the mark _carved_ into their foreheads? That mark?"

Danny bobbed his head, "Right, Pakkun?" His animated eyes found Osh'ikeille's behind me, "Right? Then I'll be a big bo- er an adult and part of the clan!"

Only the tiniest scrape of metal or possibly talons alerted me of his movement. Danny's gaze followed Osh'ikeille as he stood, the luster in his eyes dying away.

"Right," Danny repeated, his voice softer and unsure.

Uzkielle pushed off the workbench and crossed the tiny space in three powerful strides.

 _What just happened?_

Danny's eyes slid from Osh'ikeille to Uzkielle then back to Osh'ikeille questingly.

Uzkielle made a sharp gesture with his hand and growled, "M'di."

Danny and I didn't need a translation for that word. My kid brother's face crumbled. Okay, I wasn't gung-ho with the idea of symbols being carved into my brother's face or anything, but seriously, what the fuck? I was about to ask, only I became aware of the tone of the room and silenced myself, listening to the brothers as they conversed in a mixture of clicks, growls, and their native tongue. They spoke so fast it was literally making me dizzy.

"... sei'i, mei'hswei!" Osh'ikeille growled, pressing into me as he leaned forward, the argument growing in hostility and pitch. I tilted my head back to look up at him but with the helmet on I was blind to his facial expressions. I picked up on a few words, just the basics like hunt, human and...

"... u'sl-kwe!" Uzkielle barked angrily.

... death. I blinked, taken aback. Why had Uzkielle used the term death?

"Stop fighting!"

Danny's cry shattered the hostility choking the air in the room. Slowly their gazes slid from one another down to the child standing between them. Face blotchy and red, teeth gritted and hands fisted, Danny stood frozen with his head down, and his eyes pinched shut.

Angry they'd upset my baby boy, I snarled, "Whatever is going on with you two-" My frosty glare snapped between them. "-it ends right now!"

The brothers tensed at this. Telling a Yautja what to do is a serious no-no. However, ever since I mated Osh'ikeille, I've noticed several changes in both of their behaviors when it comes to me.

A low growl emanated from Uzkielle's chest. Our eyes met, and I bared teeth at him, "I said enough Uzkielle."

Uzkielle's eyes narrowed, and I imagined his lower mandibles flaring behind the helmet. The growl intensified, and I scowled, refusing to be cowed just because I'd annoyed him.

A deep rumble burst from Osh'ikeille chest, and I unconsciously flinched at the sound. "Sei'i mei'hswei, ki'cte," Osh'ikeille chuckled, his tone undeniably mocking.

Uzkielle tossed his head back with growly-bark.

Osh'ikeille rubbed the underside of his jaw on the crown of my head, rumbling with what I interpreted as pleased smugness. Uzkielle inclined his head, watching his twin then abruptly locking eyes with me. I stared back slightly -nope that's a lie- _highly_ unnerved by the fevor illuminating his irises in a terrifyingly beautiful way.

 _Why does it feel like I just poked the proverbial bear?_

Uzkielle's continued to stare at me (and I continued to be unnerved) but spoke to Osh'ikeille.

"Mei'hswei, se'cit de syra'tei de'se hulij-bpe N'yaka'ja dte te mas-t'eall." His eyes relinquished their hold on me, flicking up to settle on his twin.

I could feel and hear the clicks of Osh'ikeille's mandibles. The heat of his jaw left the top of my head. For a long moment, the two Yautja stared at one another while I blinked back and forth in confusion. Even Danny, curious about the silence that stretched on, finally looked up. He wasn't crying anymore, and he shared my confusion.

"Ki'sei," Osh'ikeille's voice vibrated my bones. The room fell into silence once more, not an uncomfortable one, but it somehow felt pregnant. Something momentous and resolute had taken place in this shed, and once again here I was left in the dark without even a _SpongeBob_ nightlight. The desire to ask and demand answers furrowed my brows and set my teeth on edge and yet part of me, the part of me so fiercely bonded to them, warned me that this would be intrusive. I had to trust them. So I bit my defiant tongue and simply accepted the weirdness of the situation, and that I will never truly understand everything about the Yautja.

"Hey!"

Danny's outburst made my shoulders bunch. Frustrated, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again.

"Are you guys ignoring me?!" Danny's voice was like nails on a chalkboard. His face was blotchy and he was breathing a tad too hard.

Osh'ikeille started to gently move me aside only to stop as Uzkielle unexpectedly knelt beside my brother, and clapped a firm hand on his shoulder with a grunt. "Enooough," Uzkielle said, his voice growly and brusk.

I bristled at this. Osh'ikeille must've sensed me about to bitch slap his twin because the gentle hold he had on my shoulder was suddenly about as flexible as a steel girder.

Danny sniffed, and Uzkielle cuffed him again. Danny stumbled a bit but rightened himself by widening his stance. Not wanting to appear weak in the eyes of someone he thought of as his hero, Danny sucked in a breath and fought to keep the rejection off his face. Uzkielle recognized and respected this, and he nudged Danny's chin with knuckles. The boy smiled just a bit, taking a shaky breath, he met Uzkielle's hard gaze.

"I can't wear the mark, can I?" His voice quiet but strong.

"M'di," Uzkielle rasped. If I hadn't been focusing so hard on his eyes I might've missed the way the corners tightened or the way his mismatched orbs briefly darted to me then back to my brother.

Danny licked his lips, "But why?"

"Daaangeroussss," his gravely voice deepened with a strange edge.

 _Well, shit. If Uzkielle says it's dangerous then for whatever reason they can't give Danny the mark is fine with me._

Danny wouldn't see it that way, though. He'd only see it as rejection.

A small dimple dented Danny's chin, his mouth thinning into a scant line of sheer stubbornness. A tantrum, the likes of which I doubt even the badass Yautja have ever seen, was building inside that boy, and I had to stop it. Not only would Danny regret it later and be royally embarrassed, Uzkielle would straighten him out again, and I doubted he'd be as gentle the second time around.

Thinking fast, I spotted the dry erase marker I'd been using to write adjustment notes on the armor pieces, laying on the table. Osh'ikeille's grip had loosened enough for me to duck out from under it. He didn't fight me but he did huff. I ignored him and darted forward and quickly snatched up the marker.

"You wanna mark?" I grabbed Danny's dome, ignoring his surprised squeal, and the brothers unintelligible clicking. "Here-" I scribbled as fast as I could, jumping back a split second before Danny could elbow me in the ribs. "- _voila_!" I said with a flourish of my hand and the most god-awful imitation of a French accent.

Danny rubbed his forehead, and his fingers came away with black smudges. "What did you do?!"

"Tis' my masterpiece," I brought the fingers and thumb of my right hand together, kissed the tips, and dramatically tossed them out. "Mmmwah!"

Danny pushed me aside roughly, making me grunt. He ran over to the far corner of the shed, squatted down until his butt hit the floor and examined said masterpiece in the reflective surface of a hubcap. "What the f-"

"Watch it," I warned.

"-fluff, Nina! Is that supposed to be a weenie?!"

I scoffed, "Do I look like a twelve-year-old boy to you?"

Danny whirled around, his face flush with anger. "It looks like a weenie!"

"Stop saying that-"

"Look at it!" He pointed to his forehead.

Sighing, I rolled my eyes and leaned over the table to get a better look.

 _Oops._

I tried really hard to stifle a snort, but when he wrinkled his brow, it kind of just slipped out.

"Ah ha! You did do it on purpose!"

"No, I didn't. It was supposed to be a heart," I hid my smile behind my hand.

"Liar!"

Truthfully, I had tried to draw a heart, but his incessant squirming kind of... jacked it up. "It was supposed to be funny, you fridiot!"

"This isn't funny, Nina! But this-" He grabbed the dry erase marker's mean uncle, a permanent marker. "-will be!" A wicked grin, a thousand times freakier than the Jokers grin, split his face. "Niiiiiinaaaa," he taunted in a sing-song voice, taking a single threatening step my way.

I bolted, "I repent!"

"Not good enough!"

I face planted into Uzkielle's chest, he grunted in annoyance, but with the devil, on my heels, I didn't give a shit. I darted around Uzkielle and barely managed to sidestep Baymax's big werewolf ass before I hit the open door. All the while laughing and shouting, "I repent! I repent! I repent!"

The manic laughter that followed, only made me run harder...

* * *

 **Epilogue: Star Date 2016.31.10 Double, Double Toil and Trouble**

* * *

"It's today! It's today! It's today!" Danny raced into the kitchen and slid to a stop in front of me. With hands clasped together and eyes wide and sparkling he asked, "Can I skip school today, pweeeeease?"

My brow arched, "We're not going out until tonight, Danny." And I still had yet to broach the subject with the brothers anyway. Master procrastinator right here! Okay, in all honesty, I was actually being a chicken. I didn't feel like arguing with them. Besides I had this insane idea to bring them along. It's Halloween after all, the one night every monster or alien could freely roam without question. Yes, they were huge and stuck out like a couple of Bronies at an Iron Maiden concert, but maybe we could pull it off if we claimed they were mega _Star Trek_ enthusiasts... of course, then we risk getting hounded by the actually crazy Trekkies who take fandom to a cult level.

 _Forget it! They can suck it up and stay cloaked the whole fucking time!_

Danny's lower lip jutted out and quivered, his eyes puppy dog cute. "Pweeeease awesome big sister who I love and is pretty and is awesome."

Damn, the kid could really fight dirty.

 _I can milk this._

"I dunno," I sighed. All of the sudden finding the nail beds of my left hand very interesting.

"Please, please, please! We can decorate the house together and, and have a horror movie marathon!"

"Oh, fine."

"Yes!" He threw a fist in the air.

"But-"

The excitement deflated from his face like a balloon. "No, no, but! Why does there always have to be a but?" His lips did the cute, pouty, duckbill thing.

" _But_ it'll cost you."

"What?" he asked, skeptical of the angelic smile on my face.

"I demand three hugs. One right now," I raised an expectant brow. Danny rolled his eyes but smiled as he closed the gap and wrapped his arms tightly around my hips. I hugged him back. After a moment he started to pull away. "Who said this hug was over?" I growled. Danny chuckled and rested his chin on my sternum as he hugged me to him.

"That's better. Now I get the other two hugs whenever..." A far away sounding bark caught my attention, and I paused to listen.

 _Where's Baymax?_

"Nina?"

"Huh," I blinked at Danny. "Er, ah, anyway, I get the other two-"

This time when I heard Baymax bark, it was closer, and it definitely, was not a happy sound.

 _Where's Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle?_

My brows furrowed and my insides twisted as I gently pulled away from my brother.

"Nina, wha-"

Baymax's barks grew louder, sharper, more agitated and this time Danny heard them too.

We glanced at each other, then silently moved to the front door, careful to stay out of sight. After everything that has happened, we have learned to be cautious because even if it turned out to be nothing, cautious was better than dead.

Keeping my brother behind me, I peeked through the dusty slats of the shades in the front window. I squinted against the glare of the sun and noticed a large vehicle coming down the drive. I swallowed hard. A black SUV, embossed with a gold W no less. It drove into the drive and parked beside a second SUV.

 _Weyland..._

The memories of the Weyland goon squad and more specifically, Roy Stevens, rushed to the forefront of my mind.

Danny grabbed my arm, "What do you see? I bet Baymax just found an opossum."

Twisting, I grabbed Danny by the shoulders and pushed him into the corner. "Danny," I said fervently. "Stay here."

"Wha- Nina?!"

On the shelf above the TV sat my daddy's Beretta, I grabbed her and made sure she was primed before tucking her cold barrel between my shorts and lower back. Next, I picked up Lucy, the heavy Xenomorph's skull was no longer decked out in red locks or lashes, but the name had stuck.

"Here," I handed Lucy, to Danny. "Go upstairs and hide. Do not come down here for anyone except me, or one of the brothers."

Danny hefted the big skull, his arms dragged down by its weight. "But Nina, hunter's don't run!"

"For once in your life, Danny," I stuffed my feet into my steel toed boots and opened the door, "do not argue with me!" And shut it fervently behind me.

Deja-vu haunted my footsteps as I walked out to the dirt drive. Baymax stood in front of the garage, his body tense, hackles standing on end, his ears were back and close to his head, and his mouth was open, teeth bared. The dog's ears twitched at my approach, the spine shriveling growl emanating from his chest deepened when the driver side door of the SUV closest to us opened.

I stopped beside Baymax, my thigh brushing his shoulder. The dog's head lowered just a touch, and he placed one paw out in front of me.

"Easy, boy," I whispered running my fingers through his stiff scruff. With his werewolf size and scarred face, Baymax was not the dog you ever wanted to run into in a dark alley. The goon squad had already invaded his territory and were now not only potential threats to him, but to his pack.

"Nina, I think it would be best if you put your dog in the house." A familiar masculine voice called from the open door of the car.

"How about you just don't move real fast, Stevens," I said crisply.

If they shot at my dog, I'd shoot back. Though, I doubt it would come to that. Not when I could feel my mate's presence. The very power of it prickled my skin. He was close. Somewhere in the woods to my left.

The passenger side door of the same SUV open and Kelly Lewis, slowly, exited the vehicle first. Baymax's head jerked with an aggressive sniff. Her piercing brown orbs flicked to the dog then back to me. She stepped out and closed the door, relaxing her hands at her sides. Kelly, and I exchanged curt nods.

Roy Stevens stepped out next, closing the door behind him. "Nina, do not fight this."

Stevens smugness filled my ears like snake oil. I gritted my teeth, "Last I heard the judge denied your warrant. You have no right to be here."

My shoulders pinched, Uzkielle was somewhere at my back. The roof maybe?

"Bare in mind, Nina," Stevens opened the passenger side of the vehicle parked next to his. "This is on you."

"What shit are you spewing, Stevens?! Get off my damn property!"

"Nina?" A woman's soft, bell-like voice called.

I knew that voice. The last woman I ever wanted to see again got out of the SUV, and Atlas dropped the world.

The word, like ash on my tongue, shuddered out of me, "Mom..."

* * *

 **Hi, everyone! Okay first off, this is not the end of the story just the first arc. The second arc will be posted in the near future and like always on a Thursday. The new arc will be titled 'Nina Look an Alien!' so look forward to it. Now secondly, I'm sorry for the ridiculous delay. I, unfortunately,** **hit the dreaded wall -le gasp!- and had to take a break. Third, thank you all so much for hanging in there and waiting for me to update T.T I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I am so lucky to have such amazing readers! It makes me so happy how much you all love my story! Thank you for all those favs, follows, and reviews while I was gone.**

 **~Yautja dictionary~**

 **Mei'hswei se'cit de syra'tei de'se hulij-bpe Mei-Nrak'de dte te mas-t'eall. (Keep in mind I made up most of these words to fit my purpose.) Translation: Brother perhaps we follow our reckless Sire into the unknown.**

 **Mei'hswei: Brother**

 **Hulij-pde: Reckless/crazy**

 **Mas-t'eall: Unknown**

 **Sei'i: Yes**

 **M'di: No**

 **Ki'sei: I agree**

 **Ki'cte: Enough**

 **U'sl-kwe: Death**

* * *

 **XxShadowfangxX: Haha yeah, poor guy. Thanx so much for all the love and support! :)**

 **Anonymous Reviewers: Thank you all for your kind words! I will write more soon!**

 **Shenandoah: Uzkielle's the hothead, he's the one Danny refers to as Lobomon. Sorry if the name change is confusing things. Thanx for reading :)**

 **Haylz93: Thanks for checking up on me! Glad you enjoyed the previous chapter! :)**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Aww thanx! You keep rocken too! XD**

 **Tenfangirl: No prob she needed that R &R before this chapter XD Thanx for the love! **

**Rasha007: Haha right?! I'm sure Uzkielle will be taking him on many more hunts :) I can't really talk about the whole mate thing because I'm still building the story ;)**

 **angel897: Aww glad it was fun! I had fun when I wrote it! Thanx :)**

 **hellfire45: I feel bad for Trey too. Poor guy. Thanx for the love! :)**

 **Kay: You make me squeal like a silly kid sometimes! Making me feel so good about myself and my writing! Haha something bad did happen! (evil laughs) You'll have to read the new arc to find out what happens next XD Haha hybrid crab babies XD Chi'ytei!**

 **YAYA Kitsune: Aww thank you so much! You're amazing too :)**

 **Faene Druin: Glad you're loving it! Thanx ;)**

 **KittyKat25: Wow thanks for so much love and support! Pakkun does test his brother but most of the time he's trying to prove a point to him. I'll reveal more on this in the new arc. ;)**

 **Black cross0: Haha its like you and I were on the same wavelength with the MIB ;) Thanx for the love**

 **sousie: Haha Nina sandwich XD So glad you liked it! Thanx, sousie ;)**

 **flor da aurora: And much love too you! Thanx! :)**

 **Atlafan1286: Aww you're so sweet! Thank you so much! XD**

 **Almadynis Rayne: Haha glad that scene turned out steamy cause lord I was sweaty bullets trying to write it XD The Yautja sign language is canon too! I've read its difficult and tedious. Thanx for the love :)**

 **crystalga: Hey girl! Glad you liked it! i had fun with those lines! Thanx :)**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Haha lmao! Glad it fired you up ;)**

 **CieloDistante: The gator scene had me giggling the whole time I wrote it! Oh, lord I hope Brody isn't the human version of Uzkielle XD More on the brothers' pasts in the future arc I promise ;) Thanx**

 **TheSinfulDragonEmporer: Supafreak! Ha! I started humming the song all day after I read your review! Thanx so much :)**

 **Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: We'll see what the future holds in the new arc ;) Thanx for the love**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Hehe did you like Danny's revenge on Osh? XD So happy you liked it. *Does a happy jig* Much love to you my friend :)**

 **09sasha: I hummed that song for a bit XD Thanx, sasha! Stay awesome! :)**

 **BlackblackAngel: Lol, thanx! I love them too :)**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Danny is really cute. Thanx for the love :)**

 **Weeping Willow 1667: Aww thank you! Hope you enjoyed the update! :)**

 **Tiana Price 184: Haha thanx you're awesome too! I'll be back with the next arc soon :)**

 **Laura: Well thank you so much, Laura, for your sweet words! Made me so happy! Thanx :)**

 **crocfarmer: Hehe glad you liked ;) Thanx so much! You've been such a huge support! :)**

 **Zombiehorde13: Bunghole? Lol! Omg my new favorite word! Is there such a thing as casual with a Predator? Hmm.. Haha Thanks for the love! XD**

 **AwesomeFangirlOtaku01: No the supernatural doesn't exist in this story I did that for Halloween fun. Hope you enjoyed the rest. Thanx :)**

 **sexyshewolf: haha yeah, that's one of my favorite chapters too. Thanx for the love XD**

 **KTCameleon: Hey girl! Thanx again for checking up on me! I freak'n think you're awesome! Thanx ;)**

 **nerdygirlforce1: Thank you so much! I do plan to continue! New arc will be up soon :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Nina Look an Alien!**

 **Story synopsis:** **And the adventure (FINALLY) continues! In the sequel of the epic story of Nina and her baby brother Danny, the siblings are forced to leave Earth and everything they've ever known behind and find themselves as the aliens. Nina's life gets turned upside down again in this new epic tale. With new pitfalls, new prey, new pets for her kid brother Danny to collect, and mated to Osh'ikeille, Nina's got her hands full. But of course, lets not forget about Osh'ikeille's belligerent twin Uzkielle who definitely has a claim on Nina but refuses to act on it. Gotta love some romantic friction. And really, you'd think the Big Dummy would get it through his thick skull that Nina's every bit the relentless hunter he is.**

Werewolfbleu: "Hi everyone! I'm so sorry you had to wait so long! Honestly, it's thanks to writing A Fangirl's Crack'd Afterlife that rekindled my love for this story! So I hope you enjoy the sequel-"

Nina: "Do you have any fucking idea what it's like to be in limbo for over a year?! Cripes! I thought I was gonna die of boredom in that void you call a brain!"

Werewolfbleu: "I said I was sorry!"

Nina: "Whatever, I expect to be compensated."

Danny: "Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Are we back?!"

Nina: "Looks that way kiddo."

Danny: (Throws a fist in the air.) "Yes! I think there should be a snot monster in this story!"

Nina: "You are a snot monster."

Danny: "And a giant rat that can teach me karate!"

Nina: "This isn't TMNT! And you've got two giant aliens teaching you the art of Klingon-kick-butt, so why the hell would you need a giant rat?!"

Danny: (Shrugs.) "'Cause it would be cool!"

Werewolfbleu: "A snot monster or a giant rat... those are my options?"

Nina: "No."

Danny: "Yes!"

Werewolfbleu: (Giggles at Nina's expense.) "What else does the story need, Danny?"

Danny: "More teeth!"

Werewolfbleu: (Takes notes.) "More teeth..."

Nina: "Would you stop encouraging him! I'm gonna end up being the one on the receiving end of those teeth!"

Werewolfbleu: (I smile gleefully.) "Probably."

Danny: (Giggles)

Nina: (Smacks her forehead with a groan.) "Is it too late to abort."

Werewolfbleu: (I smirk.)

Nina: "Whatever. Can we just start the freakin' story already?!"

Werewolfbleu: (Turns to the readers.) "You heard her. Turn the page for Nina Look an Alien!"

 **P.S. Thank you guys so much for all the love and support! It's been incredible! You guys are incredible! Thank you :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Prologue**

The word, like ash on my tongue, shuddered out of me, "Mom..."

It takes a lot to stun me into silence and for a full three seconds, I thought the world fell beneath my feet. It shook my very foundation to the core, and I almost stumbled forward, but then the anger swooped in like a Phoenix and I bared my teeth.

My anger was so great that I nearly went for my daddy's Beretta at my back until I felt Uzkielle's power slip over me like a second skin. He was really close, definitely cloaked on the roof just above my head and my fury was making it difficult for him to stay hidden.

I swallowed hard and forcibly collected myself then I ignored the woman who gave birth to me to lay my hate-filled gaze on Roy Stevens. Fuck him. Did he honestly think by bringing this woman back into our lives I'd somehow become compliant? What a fucking moron.

For once, Stevens looked a little unsure of the situation. His blue eyes remained impassive, but there was a tightness to his jaw that clearly voiced his sudden unease. Of course, his discomfort may have nothing to do with my blistering glare and everything to do with his hindbrain warning him that danger was very close. My boys were very very angry and you'd have to be pretty fucking oblivious not to sense the menace radiating off them.

"What did he promise you?" I asked, my tone remarkably well controlled as my eyes snaked there way back to my mother. For a woman who abandoned her kids and took every cent with her, she didn't even appear conscious-stricken at the sight of her own daughter. In fact, she was looking at me as if I were the gum stuck to the bottom of the killer red pumps she wore. I'm no expert, but those probably cost more than the Bronco's repairs would. And her professional bombshell blonde dye job was easily more than two of our electric bills.

I knew exactly what Stevens had promised her, but I wanted to hear the bitch say it. I wanted to know how much ripping apart our lives for the second time paid.

"Oh, Nina," she flipped her hair at me, "you always did enjoy turning the smallest things into a ridiculous fight."

I think I chipped a tooth with how hard my teeth clenched.

 _Don't shoot the bitch. It ain't worth it._

"It's not a big deal, Nina. Mr. Stevens just wants to search the property-"

"And I said no," I all but growled.

She smiled, and there was nothin' motherly about it. "Dear sweet, Nina, I still own this crap piece of land. My name is the one on the deed. So here's what's going to happen. Mr. Stevens is going to be permitted to search for his space rock or whatever," she said with a flippant wave of her hand. "Then we'll be gone, and you can go back to playing house."

 _Forget it! Just shoot the bitch!_

"You condescending bitch," I took a half step forward, but Baymax leaned his weight into my legs to stop me from going further. "How dare you," I hissed. "Your name might be on the fucking deed, but it's my blood, sweat, and tears that went into keeping daddy's place. And he would've never allowed this."

Her petulant facade finally cracked, "Dean was a fool. He never did listen to me about uprooting from this wasteland. I never wanted this, Nina! I wanted us all to move to New Orleans, to escape this podunk town, but he would never budge! Well, I wasn't going to rot in the middle of nowhere!"

"This was _our_ home!" I shot back.

"No," she ground out. "This was your home. _You_ and your fathers! Never, mine! Dean never once thought of me! He only ever thought about you and Danny!"

"Because _that_ is what parents are supposed to do!"

Her eyes narrowed, "I never wanted to be-"

The front door creaked open, and everyone froze. Quick footsteps behind me, and I half turned to catch my brother as he ran into me and wrapped his arms around my waist. Baymax glanced at the boy for a brief moment, moving so that his large body hid most of Danny from view.

"Danny," I protested quietly. One eye on our mother the other on him. "Why did you-"

Danny shook his head and buried his nose in my chest, peeking one emerald eye out to stare at the woman who deserted him when he was only four. His little fists clenched in my shirt, and I felt his pain, and his anger ripped through me like a blade of ice.

"Danny..."

My head whipped towards our mother with a fierce snarl. How dare she even say his name!

"Get behind me," I warned softly.

Danny shifted without a word. Keeping his face pressed into my back and his arms twisted around me.

"He looks exactly like... Dean."

My heated glare went to Stevens, "You should've never brought her here."

"I tried to warn you," he said. Although, he didn't sound quite as sure of himself as he had three minutes ago. "If you'll stop fighting and let us search, we'll be gone before the sun goes down and things will go back to normal."

"Fine," I bit out. "But you won't find anything."

Stevens made a hand gesture and men loaded down with equipment piled out of the SUV's. This wasn't a good idea, but so long as we weren't being outright threatened, the twins wouldn't rip out Mr. Stevens spine. I could feel Osh in the woods directly to my left and Uzkielle behind me. I casually put my left hand out beside me and made the two finger Yautja sign for "stay". Repeatedly.

Danny inhaled a sharp breath and whispered, "Nina, no!"

I placed my hand on his head, "It'll be okay, Danny." My eyes found my mother, and I felt my lips pull back in a silent snarl. I didn't care for the way she was looking at Danny, so I pushed him further behind me.

Her face twisted in annoyance, "I want to see my son."

Oh, how I wish I had the Yautja vocal range then maybe she'd hear the growl rumbling in my chest. "He isn't your son," my ire rose with my voice. "He was never your son! Danny is _mine_!"

She stepped out from around the big SUV door, her pumps crunching sharply on the gravel drive. Danny's face buried deeper into my back which was the only reason I hadn't attacked the bitch. Baymax growled, stopping my mother in her tracks after she'd only taken a few steps.

"Oh, this is rich. You think you're his mother?" she said with a trill of humorless laughter.

"I'm more his mother than you'll ever be," I said quietly my words soaked in venom.

The tension in the air suddenly ignited, and while I don't recall the specifics of what happened next, I do remember the crack of gunfire, a burning pain in my chest, Danny's screams, and the world erupting into chaos around me as Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle roared and decloaked...

* * *

 **A/N: Guess who's back, back again**

 **Nina's back, tell a friend**

 **Lol, hi everyone! Hope you enjoyed the prologue for the second arc titled: Nina Look an Alien! Thank you, everyone, who's been following, favoriting, and reviewing this story! Your love keeps me going ;) I'm currently working on the next chapter, but you can always check my profile page for updates! Luna girl thanks for everything!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Nina Look an Alien!**

"Nina! Look! An alien!" Danny squealed in delight.

Oh my _gawd_ , how many times was I gonna hear that? Better yet, how many times was I gonna have to explain to Danny that technically we're the aliens now?!

Grumbling miserable at the mercy of _two_ flippin' suns, _blue_ suns, hanging high overhead in a faintly yellow alabaster alien sky. Good lordie, lordie, we really weren't in Lousiana anymore... or our solar system for that matter. The wonder factor at being the first humans to explore an unknown planet lost its luster sometime before Danny discovered his third new pet and best friend but definitely after stepping in a steaming pile of alien crap!

Seriously, where the fuck was the planet with moving sidewalks and hover cars?! I'm not lazy... okay, I am, but I had a legit reason alright! I was still recovering from being shot! Twice! More on that later, though. Where the hell had Danny gotten off too?

With teeth gritted, I fought to keep the pain off my face as I followed my brother's _ahem_ trail _-Ha! look who's failing at being a ninja now!-_ over a low incline. I spotted, Danny and Baymax squatting in the lush purple feathery... grass? Weeds? _Whatever_. Danny was crouched over something I couldn't see.

My lips pursed, I glanced around, but beyond the strange green and brown thorny foliage that grew taller and denser than the swamp, I couldn't sense anything. This planet was beautiful in a romantic gothic sort of way but eerily silent. In Louisiana, there ain't no shortage of noise so this place had started giving me the willies once I got over the whole _I'm the Martian!_ thing. Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle had warned us to stay in the shuttle but seriously? We were the first humans on a different planet! How the fuck could they have told us to stay aboard the _Ner'uda_ or rather the shuttle after being stuffed aboard the... um... yeah, I can't really pronounce the name of the brothers' vessel so for ironies sake, and my brain's, I dub it the _Predator._ So after being trapped aboard the _Predator_ for the past... four weeks? Or was it five? Bah! My calendar is all sorts of screwed up at this point. Anyway, who were they kidding? Ha! Did they really expect me to obey them? Moreover, did they expect Danny to stay put inside a tin can when there was a whole freaking planet to explore?! Would the twins never learn it's not a good idea to leave Danny and I alone and to our own devices for an extended period of time?! Apparently not. Okay, rant over.

Still, I felt strangely exposed in this small clearing and touched the blade Osh'ikeille had gifted to me at the curve of my spine for reassurance before starting down the slope to my brother.

"Captain's log, Stardate... who the fuck know's. It's been roughly five weeks since we departed from Earth and our lives got turned upside down-"

"Are you monologing, again?" Danny asked, giving me his best you're-so-lame face.

I blew out a breath and rested my arms on top of his head for support.

 _He's gotten taller..._

"Yes," I smirked. "I'm bored. What of it? There's nothing else to do while we wait around for Frick and Frack to return." And boy-howdy were they ever going to be pissed when they discovered we'd flown the coop. Again, do they seriously not know us?

 _Maybe Osh will punish me..._ A dirty smile lifted the corners of my mouth, for all of two seconds, then I thought about Uzkielle's reaction. Dammit, that guy was the mother hen from hell. Osh'ikeille trusted me to take care of myself, but Uzkielle treated me like an invalid.

Danny shifted, and when I looked down, I realized he was holding something. A bumblebee yellow fuzzy something.

"Watcha got now, Soot Sprite?"

He turned to me, forcing me to straighten which sent a twinge of pain up my bad arm. With emerald eyes glittering, he uttered the four words that landed us in this shit show, not that I would have it any other way, but I cringed every time I heard it.

"Can I keep him?" He held up a softball sized fluff ball with weird mother of pearl colored eyes that blinked at me slowly. Okay, compared to some of the other pets he's found this one was kinda cute in a very Pokemon sort of way.

Danny was feeling a little blue about the death of his best friend TicTac. The ferret had gotten lost during the chaos and was never found in the aftermath. So he was trying to fill the void with _every_ critter that didn't attempt to maim us on sight.

Baymax sniffed the critter in Danny's hands and the little fluff ball puffed up and black hairs I hadn't noticed before sprang up like porcupine quills.

"Ouch," Danny hissed but managed not to drop the little critter.

I sighed. I hated being the bad guy all the time. "No, Danny, this is his home."

"But I wanna call him, Pichu."

"Of course, you do." The name did fit the color scheme and the cute factor, but I knew if he named it, he'd never let it go. "Danny taking him away from his home wouldn't be very nice. Especially if he doesn't want to leave..."

I felt a pang of regret talking about taking the critter away from his home. After Roy Stevens attempted to fuck up our lives by bringing the one person I never wanted to see again back, the twins had spirited us away from our home- er, hell, our galaxy! Did Danny feel homesick the way I did? Everyone we gave a shit about like Ms. De Ville, Glinda, and Trey they all thought we were dead. Our home life wasn't great, and everything we owned was either duck taped or super glued back together, but it was ours you know? Now it was gone. Completely obliterated. The brothers were forced to nuke everything within a three-mile radius so that no one would ever know about the bloody battle that had taken place on our property. I could just imagine the local buzz had taken off like a brushfire. I wonder how they'll explain what happened. It'll probably become a paranormal hotbed for stories, but I knew there were some folks like Trey, and perhaps only Trey, who would never stop wondering, and searching for what really happened.

 _Trey..._

Out of everything we lost, he was the one I regretted the most.

My gaze fell on my brother, "Danny."

He didn't look up as he continued to pet Pichu. "Yeah?"

"Do you miss home?"

"Not really," he said gently poking the ball of yellow fluff. It made a tiny squeak like a hamster which made Danny smile. "Besides," his eyes found mine, "we are home."

I cocked my head.

"You know with Pakkun and Lobomon. You told me home is where your family is."

I smirked, "I did say that didn't I?"

He nodded and went back to examining Pichu.

 _Trey was family too..._

I sighed. There was nothing I could do about that. After what happened that day there's no way we could've stayed. Too many bodies.

My eyes went back to the dark bramble forest. Each inky purple and yellow spine as long as my forearm and just as thick around ending in a needle-fine point. The thorns sprouted from dense brownish-greenish creeping vines as broad as a cypress tree trunk and nearly just as tall. It was dark, so heavily concentrated with the thorny growth that the eye couldn't penetrate beyond a few feet. It reminded me of "the pass of the spider" from Lord of the Rings. You know where _She_ appears and her lair leads into Mordor.

The thought of giant spiders crawling out of that black forest had me checking my wrist bracer Uzkielle, ironically the more technically inclined of the two, had fashioned for me. It was a wrist-mounted computer console and Sat-com which also housed a pair of wrist blades inside. It also acted as a no-way-out self-destruct device that delivered a devastating payload that could wipe out three hundred city blocks. Aside from the terrifying thought that I had a bomb strapped to my arm it was easily the most valuable tool the Yautja possessed. And I'd been incredibly surprised and ecstatic when Uzkielle gave it to me. Of course, he'd done so with his usual prickish flourish saying something along the lines of keeping tabs on the Zabin blah, blah, blah. Because _I_ attracted trouble- ha! If anything Danny was the danger magnet here! Hell, he's the one who brought home those giant pains in my ass- I mean loves of my fucking life! But again - _sigh-_ I wouldn't have it any other way. Dammit...

I touched the screen, but other than our red blips huddled together and a cluster of small blips a few kilometers away there was nothing else. Next, I checked the oxygen content in the air. Surprisingly this planet has a similar atmosphere to Earth, except for when the suns start to set then the oxygen takes a nose dive. It had something to do with the atmosphere and molecules and blah, blah, blah, technobabble I don't understand so I was keeping a sharp eye on the air readouts. We'd grabbed a couple of small emergency oxygen masks, but they didn't fit our faces very well, and they wouldn't keep us alive very long if we wandered too far. What we needed were the biomasks the Yautja wore. Uzkielle had muttered something about our small skulls being irritating but was working on a couple of masks for us. Or at least I think he is. Hard to tell with that one.

 _Huh..._

I tapped the motion radar, noticing that the small cluster of blips had doubled in size. Whatever they were they weren't very big, but there were a lot of them. My fingers absently caressed my daddy's dog tags as I watched the screen on the inside of my right wrist.

"Nina?"

"Huh," I glanced at my brother.

His face scrunched, "Pichu's acting weird."

I tilted my head to get a better look at the fluff ball and indeed he was acting a little squirrely. His perfectly marble sized mother of pearl eyes darted around, and his tiny round body appeared to be shaking.

"Danny," my eyes went back to the screen and widened at the proximity of the huge red cluster. "Put him down," I breathed.

His face shot up, "Wha? Why-"

Baymax turned towards the black forest and began to growl, his white hackles rising in warning.

"We need to go!" I hissed. The cluster was moving faster.

"But, Nina-"

A cacophony of high pitched squeaks and snarls erupted from the darkness and Danny's head jerked towards the sound.

"Danny!" I grabbed my baby brother's hand and pushed him ahead of me. "Run!"

* * *

 **A/N: Mwahahaha! I know you guys missed my cliffhangers ;D Oh, my _gawd_! I swear I am the luckiest writer to have such awesome readers! Thank you, everyone, for those favs, follows, and reviews! And holy shit the _reviews_! Seriously, you guys had me smiling so much. Thank you for that! Okay, so while I've taken a flying leap back into this story I won't be able to update every week. I find most authors only like to focus on one story, but for me, I found I need to split my focus to keep the ideas fresh and to keep myself from hitting the wall. So next week I'll most likely be updating a different story probably my werewolf/Yautja story. I'll likely update this story the following week. But you can always check my profile for future updates on this story and others. :)**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: I think they got what they deserved ;D Thanks for the love!**

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 **Tenfangirl: Lol, lemme tell you while writing the prologue and this chapter I didn't sleep much XD**

 **angel897: Ah, thanx! Your review(s) made my day! ;D**

 **Hefster: Thanx! It's good to be back! :)**

 **ShadowSoldiers: In chapter 2, Nina talks about how her father died in Iraq and her mother (who was never much of one) took the death gratuity the Army paid and bolted. Mom still holds the deed to Nina's property and she was bribed by Stevens so he could search the property. Sorry, not an android just a money grubbing woman. Sorry for the confusion. Hopefully, I cleared it up. Thank you for the review! Stay awesome! :)**

 **KTCameleon: Lol, you'll find out ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **NurseNancyNP: Awe, thanx XD You're so sweet! Haha, hybrid babies! :)**

 **Almadynis Rayne: OMG, Uzkielle snuggles- hahaha! Actually, that might be terrifying! Haha, I sorry, but cliffhangers are my specialty ;) Thanx for the love!**

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 **kimah36: Lemme tell ya, I feel you on the mother-daughter situation. I've been there. Sorry, kimah36. Thanx for the love :)**

 **butters101: Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx for the love :)**

 **Sleepyhollow01: I think she survived ;) Thanx for the review!**

 **Guest reviewers: (1) Awe, thank you! That makes me so happy! I love that my story's your fav! Lol, hope you enjoyed the update! (2) I will write more soon! :) (3) Always trouble ;)**

 **Haylz93: I'm excited too! Lol, nope, nothing's changed. Nina's still a trouble magnet XD Thanx for the love! Btw, sorry, updates won't be weekly because I need to split my focus in order not to hit the wall again, but I am giving this story my all and will update again soon ;) And as for Uzkielle, well, Nina's a pretty determined hunter XD**

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	26. Chapter 26

**Can I Keep Her**

We were the first human beings to step foot on a new planet. And I was betting we were also the first human beings to be chased down by the indigenous wildlife!

"Keep running!" I shouted at Danny as we dodged and weaved our way back through ShitThorn Forest.

Danny and Baymax ran point, while I brought up the rear. Danny was smaller and had an easier time winding his way around the thick creeping vines with their harpoon sized spikes. Baymax made it look easy and could've pulled ahead of us, but he remained at my brother's side. I, on the other hand, was not fairing so well. I'm not all that tall, but I'm a chesty girl. And the brambles kept trying to pop my boobs like cheap balloons.

The snarls and grunts of our pursuers were getting louder. I could hear them scrabbling through the vines and the slap of their feet or paws or whatever against the hard earth. They were close. Too close. Fuck if we survived, Uzkielle would never stop bitching at me. It almost made the thought of being eaten worth it. But, then again, it was rather funny to get the big Yautja all worked up. Made it _so_ much more enjoyable to tease him.

A snarl. Something took a swipe at my calf.

"Fuck!" I slapped a hand on a vine and launched myself over it and between several thorns. I didn't dare look back. Not when those things were right on my ass.

"Nina-" Danny started to turn his head.

"Keep running! Don't look! Just keep running!"

Danny's head snapped forward again just in time for him to slide under a vine at chest level. It was lucky that Danny and I had started mimicking the brothers' style and wore more leather and armor plating because it protected vital areas of our bodies. Yet, it still left quite a bit of flesh exposed, and while I'd managed not to get skewered, I felt the bite of the thorns all over.

"Nina!"

My brother's shout brought my head up too fast, and I hissed as a thorn slashed my cheek.

"Nina, we're almost there! I can see the light!"

I stared past my brother and saw beams of sunshine reaching through the thicket.

"Danny as soon as we clear the forest, get into the shuttle!"

"But, Nina! We're hunters-" He panted. "-we should fig-"

"Danny!" I gasped, feeling slightly light headed. "Do not argue with me!"

A second later Danny and Baymax cleared ShitThorn Forest, and I flew over another chest level vine right behind them.

"WHOAAOO," Danny shouted. My eyes snapped wide, the boy had one foot over the lip of a cliff! Baymax had a tuft of Danny's shirt in his teeth, keeping the boy from flying over the edge.

"Danny!" I grabbed his shoulders and hauled him back against me. Danny fell into me, and I grunted as his thick head smacked my chest.

"Whaoooo," Danny breathed. I glanced over the edge and felt the color drain from my face. The sheer drop was at least fifty feet right into a bed of rocks sticking up from the ground like stalagmites.

Absently, I patted Baymax's head, "Good dog."

 _Where the fuck is the shuttle?!_

"Oh my fucking god! We went the wrong way!" I shrieked in horror.

Baymax's big werewolf sized head jerked toward the dark thorn forest and growled, his ears flattening against his skull. Snarls and excited chitters erupted from the thicket, and I caught a glimpse of our pursuers. They were the size of macaques and moved with these ease of apes with long limbs and prehensile tails. But their heads were quite large, and their bodies were dark and kind of tadpole-shaped. And then there were the _teeth_. Lots of teeth. If these creatures had eyes I couldn't see them, because it appeared their jaws made up their entire heads!

"Danny-" I pushed him ahead of me. "-run!"

We ran along the narrow ledge between the sheer drop and the bramble forest of death. The creatures were hot on our heels, and I hadn't the faintest idea what to do! Danny was beginning to slow, and only Baymax with his head pushing the boy's shoulders kept him from stopping.

I had my father's Beretta in a holster strapped to my thigh, but I figured by the time I was able to spin around and fire it, half of my face would be eaten. I decided to pull the gun anyway. The Beretta was nestled in a retention holster, which meant you had to pull it in the right sequence to get it to release.

 _Tip forward, twist right, pop back._

The gun slipped free, and while I didn't turn around, I did fire blindly behind me hoping to hit one or two of them or at least stagger them. A chorus of shocked angry squeals came from behind me, and I chanced a peek. I'd hit at least one for sure, and the group had stopped to investigate. For all of two seconds, then they opened those impossibly wide toothy jaws of theirs and started after us with bone-chilling howls.

"I think- oof!" Danny caught himself midtrip. "I think you made them angrier!"

"I noticed!"

The narrow margin between the sheer drop and the wall of thorns was growing slimmer by the second. I managed to slip the Beretta back in its holster without dropping it. No point in wasting ammo because we were fucked six ways to Sunday anyway if I couldn't come up with a plan! But at the moment, all I kept thinking about was how shitty it would be if one of those things took a chunk out of my ass!

"Nina!"

I jerked my eyes away from the rocky death bellow and stared at the bend in the cliff ahead of my brother. I couldn't see around the sharp curve but what choice did we have? The snarls and snap of teeth were growing louder and... there was another sound too. A low gurgling _hush_ I couldn't identify, but something in the back of my mind thought it sounded bad.

"Watch your step, Danny!"

Danny disappeared around the sharp curve and my heart slammed into my ribs. I flew around the corner, just barely missing getting shredded by brambles and ran smack dab into my brother.

"Danny! Wha-"

"It's a dead end!"

The _hush_ had grown into a thunderous roar, and I realized we were standing in front of a waterfall. Even if the water hadn't been rushing over the fall at a million miles an hour, the river itself was too wide to cross. We'd never make it.

I caught a glimpse of the drop a second before my head snapped around to see balls of gnashing teeth loping towards us. With Uzkielle's blood flowing through my veins I'd mostly recovered from being shot, but the nerves in my right arm were still twitchy and painful. I'd never be able to fight all those things off on my own. Not even with Baymax as my backup.

"Danny," I wrapped my arms around my baby brother, "hold onto me!"

"What're yo- aaaaah!" Danny's scream was drowned out in the rush of water as I hurled us over the fall. Danny's arms tangled around my waist and he held me to him in a bruising grip. I glimpsed Baymax then we were plunged into icy water.

I lost my grip on my brother and opened my eyes. I saw him floundering, saw him going for the surface, and I grabbed him before he could. My brother's wide emerald eyes met mine underwater, and I shook my head and pointed up. I wanted those things to think we'd been swept away. Holding my brother's hand, I swam with all my might through the turbulent water. Swimming past the stones jutting up under the spray of the fall that we'd miraculously missed in our descent.

Behind the waterfall, Danny and I broke the surface and sucked down heaping lung fulls of air. Baymax popped up beside my brother, the big dog sneezed several times, expelling water from his nose.

"Y-you o-okay, kid?" I asked through chattering teeth. Cripes it was cold!

Danny coughed but managed a weak nod.

"Come on," I said. We had to get out of the water. There was a cave behind the fall. It probably wasn't very dry, but it was a good place to hunker down while I tried to figure out what the hell to do next.

We crawled up onto the stone floor and out of the water. Panting, we laid side by side one another until our breathing returned to normal. Baymax's claws scraped loudly against the rock as he hoisted himself out of the water after us. The big dog shook himself, splashing Danny and I. If I'd had the breath to spare, I would've growled at him.

Baymax sniffed my face then Danny's before licking the boy. "Baymax," Danny croaked. The dog huffed then nudged the boy's arm with a whiny-growl.

"Come on, Danny." I eased myself up with a hiss. "Baymax wants us to move away from the fall." Which was probably a really good idea, seeing as the dog had way better hearing than us.

With a little help from the werewolf sized canine, Danny and I lumbered over to the back of the cavern and slumped against the stone wall.

Fuck I was exhausted, but I couldn't relax. Not yet. I sat up and turned towards my brother. "Danny, are you hurt?"

Danny merely shook his head, his short dreads smearing watery blood across his forehead. I crouched over him and moved his rust-colored hair aside and found a bump and a small cut.

"Nina," he whined at me and batted at my hands. But it was a half-hearted attempt, and he sagged with a sigh. "Pakkun and Lobomon are gonna be really mad at us," he said miserably.

I blew out a breath and extracted the medicomp from my shoulder rig. "Nope," I sighed. "They're gonna be livid."

Danny's face crumbled, he didn't like it when the brothers were angry with him. But for the wrong reasons. Danny had abandonment issues and was afraid that one day if he did or said the wrong thing the brothers would grow tired of us and leave. Their Houdini act all those months ago really hadn't helped. And seeing our mother had only intensified this fear.

"Ugh, I can see it now!" I placed the heels of my palms along my jaw, fanned out my fingers and growled, "Zabin! Roar, roar, roar!"

Danny sputtered a giggle. "You forgot the brow," he laughed and tried to screw down his brows the way Uzkielle did.

I laughed and gently cleaned the cut above his brow with antiseptic. Danny's face pinched from the sting, but he didn't complain. Much.

"I wish Lobomon would've given me a burner."

Burners were the energy weapons mounted on the brothers' shoulder rigs. "And I would've killed him if he did," I growled.

"Oh, come on, Nina! You saw those things! If we had burners, we could've blown them away!"

"Yeah, right after you blew me away by accident."

Danny expelled a loud huff and turned his face away from me with an angry pout.

"Besides," I continued. "The brothers don't use the burners unless there's no alternative. And I think its another one of those ritualistic things we don't understand." We'd learned a lot about the Yautja culture in the past several weeks, but I had a feeling we'd only scratched the surface. Still, it was nice not to be completely in the dark anymore. Moreover, it gave us lots of time to practice the Yuatja sign. Danny was better at signing than I was, which was kind of annoying, but it was fun watching the excitement dance across his face whenever he learned a new one.

"I guess," Danny mumbled with a miserable shiver.

Frowning, I packed up the medicomp and slipped it back into place. "Scoot up," I said, getting to my feet. Danny frowned but obliged, and I wedged myself between him and the stone wall. Exhaling into my hands to warm them, I then vigorously rubbed his arms to try and warm him up. Baymax laid down over our outstretched legs, and while his fur was cold from the water, a moment later we felt his body heat radiating off of him.

"Nina?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think she ever loved us," he asked quietly.

It didn't take a genius to figure out the _S_ _he_ he was referring too. After all, the bitch had shot me right in front of him. "I dunno, Danny." I paused. "I think she liked the _idea_ of us, but once we were born, she realized the white picket fence wasn't what she wanted."

"Oh," he muttered. Sounding utterly dejected.

I laid my chin atop his head and breathed in his scent. Enjoying another upside to having Uzkielle's blood in my veins. My senses had grown sharper and I found I rather liked the way I could differentiate scent now.

"Danny, some people are never meant to be parents, but they do it anyway because we live- we _lived_ in a society that dictates we should. But you know what?" I wrapped my arms around him. "I don't care because I've got you."

I felt more than saw Danny smile. It was the way he sighed and relaxed into me. "Yeah... plus, now we've got Pakkun and Lobomon."

I rolled my eyes, "Don't remind me." But there was no conviction behind my voice, and I smiled at the thought of those two crab brains getting all pissy with us for disobeying them. It was funny. But I sobered as the memory of that massacre came roaring back to the forefront of my mind. Danny and I had seen just how great and terrible a Yautja's fury could be and how pathetically outclassed humans truly are. It was one thing to watch a Yautja fight a Yautja but it was completely different watching them tear apart a human as if they were made of tissue paper. Danny had been worrying over me and hadn't seen the full thing, but... he'd seen and heard enough. It gave me nightmares for weeks, still did on occasion, but it was Danny's nightmares that scared me. How do you recover from something like that? Granted kids are more resilient than adults, but Danny had had a front row seat to something not even the most hardened soldier probably could've stomached. And now we were submerged in the Yautjas' way of life. Was I really doing right by Danny by continuing to live with the Yautja? Literally, the most dangerous predators humans have ever come across. I had to wonder. And I struggled with my decision every day.

"Danny-"

"How's your arm?" he asked.

I flexed the fingers of my right hand and grimaced at the pain that shot to my elbow. "Better." Not a complete lie. It was getting better. It still just hurt like a bitch at times. Hell, by all rights I should be dead. And if it hadn't been for Uzkielle's blood still flowing through my veins and the second transfusion he gave me after being shot, I would be dead.

Danny squirmed then suddenly giggled.

I cocked a brow, "Danny, wha-"

Pichu's yellow feathery head popped out of the front of Danny's shirt with a squeak. Baymax lifted his big wolfy head and sniffed at the little critter. Pichu squeaked at the dog, but his quills didn't spring up this time.

Danny giggled, "Pichu's funny. Can I keep her?"

I grimaced, "I dunno, Danny. Doesn't he remind you of the fluffy critters the _Gremlins_ started out as?"

It was amazing how someone so much younger than me could make me feel so dumb with a single look. " _She_ isn't a Mogwai, Nina."

I cocked my head, "She?"

He nodded.

"How can you tell?"

He shrugged, "Just feels right."

I chuckled, "And what will you feed her? Do you know what she eats? Not only that but what about the brothers? Do you think they really want you turning our home into a zoo?"

"I don't think they'll mind," he said, but even he didn't sound convinced. "And I can find out what she eats before we leave."

"Okay, what about poop patrol? You already have to clean up after Baymax. Do you really wanna pick up more poop?" Granted, Baymax did his business in one tiny corner of the ship, but that dog basically shat miniature shrines to the poop gods.

Danny's face scrunched in disgust, "It's not fun but look at how small she is." He scratched the top of Pichu's head and the little critter let out a low warbly purr sound. "I bet her poops are tiny."

I blew out a breath. I wasn't going to win this without a real fight, and I just didn't feel like fighting with him. I'd let Osh'ikeille decide. Let him be the bad guy for once.

Baymax lifted his muzzle from his outstretched paws, his ears forward and alert. Suddenly, Baymax got up, ears flat against his head as he began to growl.

My eyes lept to the waterfall, and I watched in growing horror as shadows appeared behind the fall.

Danny jumped to his feet, "They're back!"

"Danny stay behind me!" I warned. The twin blades released from the wrist-bracer with a satisfying _shink,_ and I took up a crouched position in front of my brother. The creatures were standing on the rocks jutting up from beneath the falls, their shadows huge and monstrous. Distorted by the water. Or so I hoped because there was a very real possibility that whatever these creatures were, they were the bigger and meaner cousins of the weird toothy creatures that chased us.

One of the creatures sprang through the waterfall with a familiar snarly-bark, and I fell back on my ass in relief.

"Pakkun!" Danny ran around me, and Baymax, and straight into Osh'iekeille's legs. The big Yautja grunted at this and was at a loss for what to do with his hands. Hugging was one of those things that confused the hell out of the brothers. Seems there wasn't much skin to skin contact in their culture aside from fighting and fucking.

The other shadow burst through with a roar of anger so intense that it might've blistered my skin if it wasn't already numb from the cold. Uzkielle's head swung from my brother to me with a reptilian growl and glowered at me.

"What?!" I clambered to my feet and straightened my black spandex shorts and the leather and metal pleats of my makeshift warrior princess skirt. "We were bored!"

"Foolish, ooman," he snarled.

The sharp sound echoed off the walls of the cavern, and for a second I was transported back to the moment my mother shot me. Back to when Uzkielle had savagely ripped her head from her body with that same ferocious sound. I shivered and dropped my gaze. The fight left me in an instant and all I felt was cold. Uzkielle had always scared me, had always been an unknown. There was no love lost between me and my mother. After threatening to take Danny away from me, the bitch had tried to kill me. But no matter how much I loved Uzkielle, no matter how much I desired him, that moment would be forever seared into my memory. The moment the fog lifted and I saw him for what he truly is. Saw _them_ for what they truly are. And while I knew neither of them would never hurt me, or Danny, a part of me was still afraid of them. A healthy dose of fear isn't a bad thing. It keeps things in perspective. Even so, I never wanted either of the twins to see that fear, especially Osh. He and I were already mated, and I didn't want to cause a rift between us with my stupid human insecurities.

Absently, I touched the five scars running over my chest. An action I sensed Uzkielle's eyes tracked.

"Come on," I wrapped my arms around myself. "Let's get back to the shuttle before the oxygen plummets, and Danny and I asphyxiate."

Uzkielle tensed, taken aback by my sudden shift in behavior. I ignored the weight of his gaze on my face as I walked past him and towards the fall. Pakkun with Danny still clinging to his legs followed right behind.

"Hey, Pakkun?"

Osh'ikeille grunted.

"Can I keep her?!" Danny asked excitedly.

And despite the shit mood I suddenly found myself in, I couldn't help the smile jumping at the corners of my lips.

* * *

 **A/N: Lol, no dramatic drop off this time ;) Thanks for all those favs, follows, and reviews. * Grammar Blues: Okay, I know I've said this before but grammar is my kryptonite. However, I will continue to try and get better :) **

***Reviewers:** **What do you guys think about me posting future review responses on my profile page to save on document space?**

 **Sleepyhollow01: Ah, thanx. Lol, I had fun with the Star Trek ref. XD**

 **Kelwtim2spar: Glad you liked it :)**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: In the chapter, Nina explains the brothers whisked them away via their ship which she jokingly calls the Predator. :)**

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 **SolusPrimeLightblast: Lol, and there's more to come ;) Your excitement gets me excited XD**

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 **InvisibleJediMaster: So far Danny's only been allowed to bring Pichu aboard :) Grammar and I aren't friends, but I'll keep working on it. It makes me so happy that my story is your fav :) Thanx for the love**

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 **CieloDistante: Awe, I'm so happy you got a little free time to read the update! Her mother got what she deserved! We always want the unpleasant characters to die but it always messes with our morals. The Yautja don't have the same hang-ups which is why it's easy to have them do the killing. ;) Lol, the Yautja walk around with those bombs strapped to their arms all the time. They probably didn't give it a second thought strapping one on Nina. Thanx so much for the love! P.S. Hope your studies are going well :)**

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 **yatinga: Aaah someone got the paddles! Clear! *shock* Few, I got you back ;) Lol, don't worry. Lots more on the edge of your seat goodness to come :) Thanx for the love!**

 **aisaac5: Oh, the webs of suspense, drama, and _romance_ I plan to weave- hehe. And believe me, there's a storm brewing ;) Thanx for the love! **

**SpaceGhostHorse: Ah, thank you! Hope you enjoyed the update :)**

 **FFEShadowfoot: Lmao, hi! You had me laughing and grinning with your review. It makes me so happy how much you enjoy this story :) Lol, and yes, lots of mischief and misadventures to come ;)**

 **Zorua1: Lol, thanx :) He's one of my favorite characters too.**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Glad you're hyped! There's a lot to** **this new arc ;) Lol, nah, I'm not going CLAMP. At least, I don't think I am. And as far as the aforementioned annoying _someone,_ don't fret, I has plans *laughs maniacally and rubs hands together***


	27. Chapter 27

**Dead Heat**

Boneless and languid as a kitten, I lay curled on the berth, content and ultimately too tired to move. Having a Yautja for a mate can be... _exhausting_. In more ways than one which is why I currently refused to crack open my eyes, let alone investigate why my baby brother had decided to crawl into bed with me.

"Nina," Danny whispered.

The soft fur covering our _nest,_ as I referred to it, wove through my fingers and toes as I stretched. So much for being content and lazy. The addled state of my brain managed to finally stir with subtle alarm to the hitch in my brother's voice, and I blinked awake.

My brother sat on his knees, tiny hands balled into fists and resting on his thighs. His face was ashen and sweaty, his eyes hollow and fixed on his hands. Damn it. He'd had another nightmare.

Danny grabbed the oxygen mask he'd set aside and took a deep inhale. The Yautja breathe a slightly higher oxygen and nitrogen content than humans, but it was the natural gases of their homeworld mixed into the air that Danny and Baymax couldn't tolerate for a long length of time. And while the Yautja could adapt to Earth's natural gases they couldn't go without their biomasks for more than a week. I, on the other hand, was an enigma. At first, the atmospheric change had given me headaches, however, I was fine after a few days. Osh'ikeille said it was most likely due to the cohesion of my blood bonding with Uzkielle's. Only he'd used ten dollar words that I didn't even understand in English.

Frowning, I sat up and pointed to the bedraggled zombie pinup girl T-shirt on the floor. "Hand that to me would ya."

Danny rolled up and over the side of the berth, picked up the shirt and tossed it to me. I snatched it deftly out of the air and slipped it over my lady bits. Body stiff and achy, I dragged myself out of the nest, sucking in a sharp breath as my toes made contact with the chilly floor. Space is cold. And even though the Yautja like it toasty and the ships temp stayed at a steady eighty degrees most days, the floor didn't get the memo and remained icy.

Stretching, I made an attempt to locate the black spandex shorts I'd been wearing before the feverish fucking I'd received from Osh'ikeille. Calling that act lovemaking would've made even the most unscrupulous pornstar blush. I found the shorts, or at least part of it and tossed it aside with a huff. Screw it. It was just us and the twins on this ship and the T-shirt hit midthigh. And secretly I think Osh'ikeille has a vendetta against clothing in general. Or at least my clothing because somehow they always managed to get shredded. Hard to be a prude anyway when the word _modesty_ doesn't even exist amongst this particular species. Not when they religiously honed their bodies to the point they resembled Greek Gods. You know if Greek Gods had mandibles and seriously bad attitudes.

"Come on," I gently steered my brother out of the room I shared with my mate and headed for Danny's. The oxygen mask was too big for Danny's face, and he'd never be able to sleep in my bed if he had to keep adjusting it. The brothers modified the atmosphere in Danny's room and even some of the main areas of the _Predator_ to mimic Earth's so that Danny and Baymax could roam more freely. Danny needed sleep, and I had zero problems zoning out for a few more hours. Besides, Osh'ikeille wasn't much of a cuddler and Danny was.

We trudged down the poorly lit corridors, the heavier gasses curling around our legs like warm smoke as we walked. Wherever the Yautja homeworld was, it was still night time because the ship automatically adjusted the light to match. I think they did the same thing on the space station to help the astronauts keep track of time. I guess it would be pretty dumb to keep the lights on all the time, anyway. Not only would it waste power but you'd seriously screw up your internal clock. Of course, the Yautja homeworld was different from our own, so Danny and I were adapting to longer days and shorter nights... and by adapting, I mean sleeping with the covers over my head to block out the phony sunshine.

Eventually, we came upon the headroom. Literally a headroom. It was filled wall to wall with skulls, a.k.a trophies from Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle's previous hunts. The Yautja take great pride in their trophy collections, often going so far as to decorate their biomasks with them or wear them like jewelry. Even Danny wore the tooth of a xenomorph on a leather strap around his neck. He hadn't killed the xeno, but he wore it just as proudly as if he had. I wasn't all that gung-ho about wearing alien body parts though I'll admit some of the pieces on the biomasks were really fucking badass looking.

The headroom is purposely situated right before you enter the cockpit. Meaning everyone who came and went had to walk through it first and bear witness to the magnificent and extravagant display. Cock waving at its finest. No matter the species males were still egotistical maniacs.

We didn't enter the cockpit though. Instead, we headed down the adjacent corridor were Danny would be able to breathe without the Klingon sized oxygen mask. The door sealing this side of the ship swished open with a warm rush of air, and for an instant, I felt dizzy from the pressure change.

Danny groaned, "That makes my stomach flip."

I squeezed his hand sympathetically, "You'll get used to it."

"Doubt it."

"Come on," I said around a yawn. Which in turn made Danny yawn. The boy rubbed his eyes and stumbled after me.

Unlike Osh'ikeilles room which was heavily adorned with skulls and weapons, Danny's room was pretty bare. I wasn't sure, but I think it used to be a storage space because it was also significantly smaller and the faint smell of earth and living things clung to the walls.

Baymax greeted us with a cursory sniff then followed Danny onto a berth of furs and the Totoro sheets we'd managed to snatch before the twins whisked us away. Danny wrapped an arm around Baymax's neck and rubbed his face in the big dog's white fur coat that looked like a splash of snow against the dark pelts. Smiling, I switched off the lights and crawled in next to my brother and fell asleep to the sound of his soft breathing.

...

Awareness drifted in and out, and there was the most annoying tickling sensation on the side of my face. Half asleep, I rubbed at my ear and came to full awareness as my fingers brushed something soft and feathery and it gave a surprised squeak.

I jerked up in alarm half expecting to see a big space rat, but the mother of pearl eyes reflecting the dim light in the room revealed a much smaller and cuter creature. One that stared up at me more than a little miffed for flinging her aside like a dirty sock.

"Pichu?" I whispered, voice warbly with sleep. The puffball bounced up onto my knees with a curious chitter, the feathery hair covering her body tickling my skin. The berth shifted and Baymax's lone ice blue eye focused on me in the gloom. The dog sniffed at us then laid his muzzle on Danny's shoulder.

I tapped the wrist-bracer, amazed that I hadn't accidentally brained myself with it in my sleep. Again. Wearing the heavy tech was difficult and sometimes painful since a bullet had ripped a hole through my arm. And it was sheer dumb luck that it had been my dominant arm. Although, I guess it was better than getting two to the chest.

The red glare of the console gave a little depth to the room. I couldn't tell what time it was, but I got the sense I hadn't been asleep all that long. Luckily, Danny was still out for the count. I brushed the messy dreads from his face, and the kid didn't even stir. Good.

Gently, I picked up Pichu and set the fluffy critter beside Danny's head. I still couldn't believe Osh'ikeille had allowed Danny to keep the tiny alien. _Well, at least I ain't the only bad parent._ But at least Pichu was better than some of the other critters Danny wanted to adopt. The cat-sized slug thing he'd found before Pichu still gave me the shivers just thinking about its snot coated body. Serious, ick.

With a wistful sigh, I kissed the top of Danny's head then quietly made my escape.

...

In the cockpit, I found my mate. I stared at Osh'ikeille's sculpted backside and smirked. At eight feet tall and five hundred pounds of fuck-you corded muscle Osh'ikeille was one of the most dangerous predators found in nature, and yet he was shacking up with a human. Which gave me a thrilling sense of power that I'd attracted his attention in the first place.

Sensing my eyes on him, Osh'ikeille turned and his deep-set wolf gold orbs locked onto me with the intensity of a predator stalking his prey. Pun _totally_ intended. A smile curved my lips, the last remnants of exhaustion melting away as I intentionally exaggerated the swing of my hips. He growled softly, body stiffening in all the right places as I leaned into him. On tiptoes, I stretched and placed several soft kisses on his broad chest, hoping he might forget about the schematics of the unknown ship I spied on the holographic display behind him.

"Star Breaker," I purred huskily. Using the human translation of his name. The growl he emitted was barely audible, but it vibrated across my skin in invisible waves of heat. It spiked my arousal, and I laughed softly as Osh'ikeille inhaled sharply. I hooked my fingers beneath the long leather loincloth draped around his hips and tugged playfully. "I find it amusing how I always end up being the one left without clothes to spare."

A deep laugh rumbled in his chest as he settled his hands on my hips and squeezed. His talons dug into my skin hard enough to have me drawing in a sharp breath but not enough to pierce flesh.

"Dtoudi Shur'ie," he said around a possessive growl.

I smirked, nuzzling his abdomen with an irritated huff and a playful bite. The laugh deepened into a rumble of encouragement. Although he could say my name, Osh'ikeille has started referring to me as Dtoudi Shur'ie or Little Storm, which was a term of endearment. From anyone else, being branded as "little" would be taken as an insult and would be met with a full arsenal of seriously pissed off southern redhead's face melting verbiage.

The computer behind him made a series of soft beeps. Osh'ikeille ignored it and continued to hold my gaze not even the least bit distracted with me practically naked in his arms. I was, though. My eyes fell on the holographic image and curiosity got the better of me.

Much to my mate's displeasure, I stepped away from his embrace to get a better look. Clicking in irritation, Osh'ikeille kept a possessive hold on my hips but allowed me the freedom to move towards the console. My gaze flicked from the holographic schematics to the screen above it.

"Is that the planet we were on yesterday?" I pointed to the dark purplish and brownish sphere on the screen.

"Sei'i," he replied gruffly.

"Then whats with the ship?"

Osh'ikeille leaned over me and tapped a series of buttons. The screen split and a message in the Yautja language, which I have yet to learn, scrolled down the right side. The planet spun and magnified until I could differentiate land masses and stopped when a red dot pulsed on the screen.

"Derelict ship."

Uzkielle's gravely voice startled me, and I spun in Osh'ikeille's hold to find Uzkielle standing in the center of the cockpit. My eyes went for his mismatched ones, but he wasn't staring at my face. He was watching his brothers hands. Osh'ikeille's grip tightened as he tipped his head back and acknowledged his brother's presence with a jerk of his jaw. The fact that Osh wasn't growling said a lot. It meant that Uzkielle's sudden presence hadn't startled him which meant he knew he was there. Leaving me to wonder just how long Uzkielle had been watching.

Without warning, Osh picked me up and set me on the console, causing the hem of my shirt to ride up and bunch at my hips. Uzkielle's eyes latched onto my nudity, and a warm rush of heat serged to my cheeks. Okay, I've never been body shy, however, I've known Osh'ikeille long enough to know when he's baiting his brother. And this was a game I did not wanna play.

I tried to shove the shirt back over my thighs, but Osh'ikeille thwarted my attempt by slipping his hand under it and cupping my bare ass. I pushed against Osh'ikeille's steely chest while glaring daggers at him. I refused to be apart of his fucking mind games. But as I struggled, I realized it was the wrong thing to do. Uzkielle snarled, his mandibles flaring out as he took a threatening step towards us, making the tension in the room skyrocket. This time when Osh'ikeille growled and tightened his grip, it was one of possession. The game was over, and the real loser here would be me if I couldn't get them to calm the fuck down.

"Where did it come from?!"

Both males stiffened at the sound of my voice, but neither of them looked at me.

Gently, I wrapped my fingers around Osh'ikeille's forearms and scooted closer so that he'd literally have to rip himself away from me to get at his brother. "Uzkielle," my eyes slowly left Osh'ikeille to focus on his brother. "Where did the ship come from?" I asked again, silently cheering at how calm I managed to sound.

"Unkown," he rasped, his voice like heavy machinery.

I licked my lips, "So yesterday, on the planet, you guys were what? Investigating it?"

In a way that had all the fine hairs on the back of my neck wave a white flag in surrender, Uzkielle's eyes slowly slid to me. There was something just so alien about that movement I couldn't quite keep my heart from lurching in fright.

His brow ridge drew down and he searched my face with an inquisitive tilt to his head for a beat before finally giving me an almost imperceptible nod.

"Wait, wait, wait," I said with a shake of my head, annoyance dissolving the fear. "So while you two were off having an adventure you left Danny and me in the van?"

He cocked his head. Van. The word van tripped him up. But I didn't feel like elaborating.

I crossed my arms over my chest, "Are you guys planning on going back?"

His mismatched eyes narrowed. He knew exactly where I was going with this, but responded anyway. "Sei'i."

"Then Danny and I are going with you two."

Uzkielle tossed his head with a snort.

"Oh, come on Uzkielle!" I glanced up at Osh'ikeille and smoothed my fingers over the scars on his forearms. "You don't have a problem with it, do you?"

My left ass cheek felt cold with the loss of his heat as he released his grip. Using one hand, he made the single sharp gesture for the sign "no."

I grinned, grabbed his left hand and placed it back on my ass cheek.

Laughter resounded in his chest, and he leaned over me and rubbed the underside of his jaw on the top of my head.

I found Uzkielle's eyes, which were narrowed and angry, and again, his eyes weren't on me but on _what_ his brother was doing _to_ me.

"Seriously, Uzkielle. After what happened yesterday, do you really think its wise to leave Danny and me _alone_ on the ship?" I asked cheekily. Trying to redirect his attention elsewhere.

Uzkielle's gaze lifted to mine with a soft snarl.

"Lighten up, Uzkielle." I smirked, "I promise it'll be more fun with us around."

He scoffed, unconvinced.

Things were calmer now, but I knew they wouldn't stay that way. The scent of my arousal, and Osh'ikielle's, still permeated the air. And without a shadow of a doubt, Osh'ikeille would eventually lose his patients, and his instincts would force him to drive off the other male. Which of course would lead to a bloody fight. Osh'ikeille perceived his brother's intent towards me long before we left Earth, even if the Big Dummy refuted it, and although Osh'ikeille teased his brother and used me in his manipulating games, he wouldn't allow Uzkielle to come between us when the need to fuck me road him this hard.

"Uzkielle..." I licked my lips. Uzkielle wouldn't leave if I asked. So I had to give him something to focus on. "Will you check on Danny for me?"

His eyes narrowed. Uzkielle is a lot of things, mostly a hothead, but the one thing he definitely isn't is a fool.

"He hasn't been sleeping well and he feels safer when you're around."

 _Please, Uzkielle,_ I pleaded with my eyes. _Please go._

At first, I didn't think Uzkielle was going to listen. But after holding my gaze for a solid ten seconds, he gradually turned and moved for the door. He didn't even give us a parting glance as he left, and I sighed in relief when the door slid closed behind him.

A hand curled into my red locks, and I didn't fight as he tugged me against the steely contours of his body. Osh'ikeille tipped my head back so that I was looking at him. I stared up into those wolf gold orbs, watching as the pupils ate the irises, and even though I knew he would never hurt me, a part of me feared him.

Osh'ikeille rumbled softly, his free hand gripping my hip and grinding me against his throbbing masculinity. I sucked in a breath as its heat threatened to sear my skin.

"Dtoudi Shur'ie," he growled possessively.

I bared my teeth and hissed, "This "little storm" often foreshadows a hurricane. You best remember that."

His laugh, though deep and rumbly was barely audible, but I felt it hum along my skin like grabbing a live wire. The hunter pressed himself harder against me. Aroused by my subtle threat.

A groan slipped from me as the ache between my legs became unbearable. I ran my blunt nails up the sides of his long muscular legs, "An encore of the heat we produced earlier might liquefy my bones."

His brow ridge dipped low and he growled, hands tightening their hold. Clearly, my mate wasn't done with me and he didn't give a shit if I'd be able to walk or not after...

* * *

 **A/N: Lol, ain't I a stinka? What a tease! Hope you guys enjoyed! ;D Thanx for all the favs, follows, and reviews! You guys inspire me so much! Really, thank you!**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Lol, glad you enjoyed it. :) I'm so happy my story excites you!**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Hehe, probably ;D Although, I think with Danny around it already is a zoo XD**

 **Rasha007: Haha, I actually thought about that XD Turn Pichu into some badass little critter, but I haven't committed to that yet. I feel like its almost expected. Thanx for the love!**

 **hellfire45: Ah, thanx! Glad you enjoyed it :)**

 **Kay: KAY! Oh, the precious is sorry! Precious wanted to contact you! Wanted you to know the precious had returned but alas, you have no private message :( But Yay! You didn't give up hope and you return! LMAO, would you believe I seriously just binge-watched the extended versions of TLOTR and The Hobbit?! Haha XD Yes, the precious is cruel. Not everything in a story is explained, but I'm betting your imagination ran wild with the details I did give ;D Some of the things that happened might be explored later but not all of it. Some things are better left a mystery or you can chalk it up to precious either being lazy or lack of vision XD So glad to hear from you again Chi'ytei :)**

 **WereWolf2000: Ah, thanx! Hope you enjoyed the update XD**

 **sousie: We'll see, we'll see ;) Nina will do her best to keep her fear hidden but who knows if it'll peek out ;)**

 **KTCameleon: Lol, thanx for the love KT :)**

 **Guest: Haha XD That's exactly what I was thinking! Nina can't always be the bad guy but alas Osh surprised her by giving into Danny XD Thanx for the love**

 **Luna Silvereyes: I'll admit I had no idea what a langolier was, and now that I do, I have to see the movie! Lol, Danny got to keep his pet. It appears not even Osh is immune to Danny's charm. It's the same with Thewei'ja. I love him, but I am deeply respectful and wary. Thanx Luna! :D**

 **angel897: Awe, thank you! Drama is my bread and butter XD**

 **09sasha: Thanx! I feel very strongly that even though Nina has a thick skin she isn't impervious. Hehe it appears not even Osh is immune to Danny XD**

 **Aeroza: Thank you for the compliment and the suggestion. However, I did the time jump to purposely move the story forward. I might elaborate on some details later but not everything in a story is meant to be explained. Some things are meant for your imagination to fill in or to leave a bit of mystery. I will consider your request though. :)**

 **Tenfangirl: Oh, no! I'm sorry your week was poop :( I hope this last one was better. Thank you so much for the compliment! Makes me feel so good! And btw, I get excited whenever I get an email saying that Tenfangirl left me a review XD I always open it immediately. Much to my managers' annoyance XD**

 **Haylz93: Oh, what a storm I am brewing ;) I can not wait for the future of this story to unfold! I think you'll enjoy what I've got planned ;) Thanx so much for the love!**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: Ah, your review had me smiling nonstop XD So glad you're enjoying the second arc! I've got such big plans, and I can't wait to share it! Thanx so much for the love :)**

 **DystrVction: Haha XD Thanx! So much more story to share! I can hardly wait to finish the next chapter and post it XD**

 **Guest 2: Lol, I try to post once a week or once every other week. Thanks for the love :)**

 **wolviegurl: Ah, thanx! Hope you enjoyed the update ;)**

 **Firestar: Awe, it makes me happy that you care about my characters. Don't worry. Nina always bounces back. ;) Thanx for the love :)**

 **13RoniN13: Haha, cool. Don't know if you read the rest of the story, but I hope you enjoyed it. :)**

 **SolusPrimeLightBlast: Thanx! Glad you liked it :) Hehe, just keep reading ;)**


	28. Chapter 28

**This is Gonna Hurt**

In the kehrite, better known as a dojo to us _oomans_. Heh, oomans. That was just fun to say. Anyway, I was in the kehrite, _alone_ , twirling a kunai between the fingers of my right hand for strength and dexterity. I almost had the full range of motion back in my right arm, but the nerves were still a tad touchy.

The thin metal blade flipped from knuckle to knuckle, and I was feeling rather proud of how well I was doing. I'd chosen a small weapon to work with because it was light and easy to hide, and let's face it, kind of sexy. The brothers were teaching Danny and I the ins and outs of most of the weapons in their arsenal and how to handle them. But it became immediately obvious to anyone with eyeballs that a lot of those weapons were just too damn big for us oomans. So while I was recovering, I focused on the kunai and the proper technique for using the blades housed in the wrist bracer. Danny, the little whelp, wanted to learn how to use _everything_ , including the combistick which he could barely lift much less throw.

I was also interested in the power punch glove. It would put a massive amount of kick behind my strikes, but of course, the thing was too damn big. Stupid Yautja and their stupid tyrannosaurus bodies...

On the edge of my periphery, I caught sight of the ugly drawing of Stevens, Danny had so artistically doodled on the target wall with devil horns and a forked tongue. I held my breath and let the kunai fly. I hit the bastard right in the crotch and smirked. Not where I'd been aiming but definitely a satisfying blow. I was getting better, even with the stiffness in my hand.

I shook my arm and flexed my fingers, trying to ease the tension. A deep ache whittled away at my bones and not just the ones in my bum arm. I've been spending a lot of time in the kehrite, determined to become stronger. Not just for my mates, but for myself. Though, admittedly a big part of it was for my mates. I'd recently learned a bit about the females of their species and hoo-boy, did I feel threatened. Which was ridiculous, I'd already taken Osh'ikeille as a mate. A _life_ mate. Something rarely practiced by the Yautja. They mated in seasons and didn't form lasting bonds. So what Osh and I had was unique. Even more so because I was a human, which was thought of as taboo. And depending on the clan, it was considered a dishonorable and unforgivable offense. This deeply concerned me but Osh'ikeille never appeared bothered. But Uzkielle... well, he'd hated humans long before I came along so there was something there that I was still missing.

 _Uzkielle..._

Gul'dan, the Badblood who came after me, said both brothers claimed me as their mate. And yet, I did not share the same bond with Uzkielle as I did with Osh. It twisted me up inside thinking that when the next mating season came around Uzkielle would leave. And even though, I knew he wouldn't form any lasting bonds it still killed me to think about him doing the hunka chunka with another female. So here I was in the kehrite working my ass off to get stronger.

 _Territorial much? Who? Moi? Damn straight!_

Funny how a person's perspective can change. I used to think the Yautja were really fucking possessive, and they are, yet here I am being all territorial and shit too. In fact, I was probably worse...

I pulled another kunai from the strap tied around my right thigh and started twirling it. The muggy air of the kehrite was almost unbearable. For some weird reason, they kept it hotter in here than any other area of the ship. Resistance training maybe. But then again, the Yautja weren't bothered by the heat and even preferred it which was interesting seeing as they were warm-blooded. Hey, I'm from the devil's armpit, so I ain't no stranger to the heat but goddammit would it kill them to crank up the AC every once in a while?! I mean for fuck's sake having sex with a Yautja was already like running a marathon but in this heat, it turned into an Ironman!

A jolt of pain shot from my elbow to my knuckles, and I let out a startled curse as I dropped the kunai. The knife clanged against the metal floor as I clutched my hand to my chest.

"Shit..." The word hissed through my clenched teeth. I'd pushed myself too far.

Sighing, I stared at the kunai on the floor brow furrowing in annoyance. The damn kunai was mocking me.

I pulled my hand away and slowly spread my fingers, wincing at the sharp little pinpricks dancing along the nerves. For several minutes, I concentrated only on clenching and unclenching my fist until the joints and ligaments loosened up.

Expelling a controlled breath, I finally sank to the floor and just laid on the ground. Imitating a slug is a stimulating workout too.

The metal floor was uncomfortably warm against my sweat-slick back. I'd already bathed earlier after Osh and I boinked, but I would need to bathe again once I found the energy to get up. Osh didn't like it when I washed the scent of our mating off my skin because I was -in his mind- essentially washing off his claim. But we weren't the only ones living on this ship and the scent made Uzkielle fighting mad. And these days Uzkielle was like a goddamn pipe bomb with a faulty cap. Very touchy. Very dangerous. And you didn't want to be in the same zipcode much less a floating metal tub _IN SPACE_ when he finally went off.

In the eyes of an ooman, the _Predator_ is a pretty large ship. But for an actual predator, it was somewhat uncomfortable to be sharing it with another predator. The thing is, the bigger the predator, the bigger the territory needed to be, and the Yautja are _big_ predators. And with me mated to Osh, it made the tension almost palpable some days. Osh'ikeille prided himself on being in control of himself, but like I said, Uzkielle is a supreme hothead.

 _Dammit! If the stupid arrogant fucking naked gorilla would just stop fighting me- shit... Speaking of the devil..._

I'd almost managed to nod off when the muscles between my shoulder blades and neck tightened and my skin prickled in awareness. Uzkielle. Only Uzkielle's presence has that specific effect on me.

I considered ignoring him but thought better of it after what happened earlier. Remembering the look in his eyes as he watched his brother and me in the cockpit. Every day the tension grew steadily worse, not just between us, but with his brother as well. The longer he fought this, the more his control would slip. Eventually, he would break, and I was deeply afraid it would end in blood instead of passion.

I sensed movement and cracked open an eye and found the idgit standing over me. Fucking ninja skills...

But I was far from disappointed. My naughty eye drank in his thick muscular legs and stopped at the leather loincloth covering part of his thighs and waist, and the segmented metal tea towel armor plate hanging in front of the family jewels. Yes, I know it's not a tea towel, but I have no idea what the fuck its called, so metal tea towel it is.

 _Hmmm..._ A dirty smile twisted my lips. _I wonder just how well those jewels are cov-_

Mandibles working, Uzkielle uttered something that sounded foul under his breath and walked away.

"Fuck you too, buddy," I muttered rolling my eyes closed.

Not two seconds later the wind exploded from my lungs in a surprised gasp at having something heavy dropped on my chest. My eyes flew open, my hands going for the object laying on my chest and stomach. It was a combistick. Or at least it looked like one, but it was kind of small... well, small for a Yautja.

"What the hell, Uzkielle?" I snarled up at the asshole, baring my teeth at him. If he wanted a fight, I'd certainly give him one. And knowing Uzkielle that's exactly what he wanted. Like I said, asshole.

His mandibles flared slightly at my challenge, shoulders bunching, but to his credit, he managed to reign in his aggressive response. Sort of. "Get up," he snarled.

I scowled up at him, "Fuck off, Uzkielle. I'm not in the mood for thi-"

The spear end of Uzkielle's combistick stabbed the floor next to my head with a deafening clang. I rolled away and into a defensive crouch with the combistick out in front of me. "What the hell is your problem, Uzkielle?!" I shouted. Chest heaving from the sudden rush.

In response, Uzkielle widened his stance and flipped the spear with expert ease. "Too slow."

Those two words were my only warning then he was on me. I felt the powerful current of his swing fan my face. That's how close he'd gotten before I dropped, and tumble-rolled out of the way in a surge of pure adrenaline.

"Is this another one of your fucking tests?!"

Uzkielle answered me with a snarl, and I barely managed to get my feet under me before throwing my arms straight up and catching his downward thrust. The force of the attack vibrated down my arms in a painful current, and I gasp. Fuck. Uzkielle was so goddamn strong. But it also occurred to me that if he'd really used his full strength against me, I'd be dead. Dead, dead. Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead!

A snap of memory, blood, and Uzkielle tearing my mother's head off sent a wave of shocked pinpricks straight up my spine. I mentally shook it off but not fast enough. Not before Uzkielle saw the fear flash across my treacherous eyes, causing his face to go stony and unreadable. Damn, I needed to work on my poker face. Inhaling deeply through my nose, I mentally shoved that head shrinker's wet dream away and reinforced my emotional barriers by defiantly meeting Uzkielle's mismatched orbs. Mad or not, Uzkielle wouldn't hurt me. But I needed him to see I wasn't gonna pussyfoot around.

 _That's right, Nina, so get mad and focus! He's just being an ass._

As if to prove that point, Uzkielle slowly leaned his weight into his combistick. My knees were locked but were beginning to buckle. My arms trembled and bowed under the pressure as his face inched closer to mine.

"You realize-" I rasped through gritted teeth. "- a test of strength is one I won't ever win."

His face was so close I could feel the heat of his skin. I bared my teeth, and his mandibles twitched to one side in a way that could only be interpreted as a smirk. I'd never seen Uzkielle smirk before, and it set my teeth on edge.

The pressure suddenly vanished. Uzkielle vanished. And I was left stumbling. I jabbed the combistick into the floor and caught myself.

Salt stung my eyes from the sweat raining down my forehead, I swiped an arm across my face and straightened. A dozen steps away Uzkielle crouched. Waiting. But as soon as my eyes caught his, he moved.

"Fa _ss_ Ter!" He snarled.

The clang of metal rang in my ears. For several long heart attack inducing minutes, Uzkielle and I engaged in a deadly game where he dominated, and it took all I had just to defend myself from the blows. What really irked me was that this was child's play for Uzkielle. He wasn't expending any energy. Hell, we both knew that if he really wanted to hurt me he could. I'd never get the upper hand, but maybe I could get lucky if I fought a little dirty. Okay, a lotta dirty. Let's face it, Louisiana style dirty wouldn't cut it, I'd have to go all in Nina style dirty.

"Uzkielle," I panted.

He didn't respond, but the heavy hood of his dark brow dipped which meant I had his attention.

"You want me to get-" I slid under his outstretched arm. "-faster, right? Well, guess what buddy-boy this chic don't work for free. If you expect me-" I caught his combistick on mine and looked him dead in the eye as we pushed against each other. "-to keep busting my ass then I need some incentive."

He scoffed, however, he didn't outright refuse so I continued.

"I propose a bet."

That got his attention. Eyes narrowing, he jerked his jaw up. Uzkielle-speak for hurry the fuck up.

"I ain't stupid. I'll never be able to beat you. Not this way at least. _But_ if I manage to surprise you, and land a blow, you have to answer a question."

The hood of his brow fell over his eyes leaving only twin crescents of his irises visible. One wolf gold, the other bright silver, both guarded and intense. "QuesssTion..." he hissed.

I felt my stomach plummet below my knees, but I forced myself not to drop his eyes. Osh'ikeille had said Uzkielle feared me, but I still have no fucking clue what he meant, and that sure as shit wasn't fear in his eyes! Regardless, this might be the only way to get real answers from him because if I actually managed to do the impossible and land a blow, he'd be honor bound to answer the question.

I licked my salt rough lips and shook my head, "Nah, it don't work like that Uzkielle. You have to agree to my terms, and I have to best you before voicing the question."

With every word, Uzkielle's mandibles had flared wider and wider until the fangs housed behind them were revealed. Without warning, he snarled and jerked away, leaving me stumbling as he gave me his back. Like the backdraft of a sweltering fire, his anger hit me, and I gasped. _Don't step away! Don't step away! Stand your ground! He'll respect that!_ No predator likes being boxed into a corner and that's essentially what I was doing. And it's never smart to corner a predator, especially one as dangerous as Uzkielle. He could easily say no, but I knew he wouldn't. It all comes down to pride. I'd challenged him, and his pride wouldn't allow him to back down. Besides, Uzkielle was arrogant enough to believe I'd never best him in any way.

When his silver eye focused on me from over his shoulder, I knew I had him. But it was a hollow victory. I sensed the shift in his demeanor and with it came a chill so cold my skin exploded in a painful surge of gooseflesh.

 _Well, shit. This is gonna hurt..._

 _..._

After a seemingly endless battle, I finally reached the breaking point. Not because I wanted too. Believe me, I never wanted to lose to Uzkielle. And now more than ever I desperately wanted to win. But even though my spirit burned with the desire to land at least one blow, my body didn't give a rats ass.

I brought my arms up once more to fend off another blow from above and when our combisticks collided the backlash of the jarring force lit a fire in the nerves of my right arm. A rail spike of pain stuck my elbow, and I yelped in shocked surprise.

Quick as a fox, Uzkielle deftly lept away and when the pressure vanished I collapsed to the ground cradling my right hand to my chest. Breaths ragged, I breathed through my nose to control the urge to cry in front of Uzkielle.

"Fuck! Shit tits!" There. That helped.

Uzkielle appeared beside me and set his combistick aside. He went for my hand, and I bared my teeth at him. His upper mandibles parted slightly at my display and he growled that low reptilian growl that always reminded me of a gator's. Lips pursed in a thin line, I relented and allowed him to take my injured arm.

The harsh dip of his brow softened, and he surprised me with how gentle he was being after how thoroughly he kicked my ass. Huh, now that I think about it. Uzkielle was always careful around me when I'm injured. Especially after the time he'd lashed out and hurt me by mistake.

Uzkielle removed the wrist bracer from my arm and set it aside. My brows furrowed as he gingerly turned my arm over and then he did something weird. Using his claws, he traced a path along the straining muscles of my forearm from elbow to wrist. He did this several times, applying different amounts of pressure and in doing so, it unwound the rigid nerves.

With a quiet rumble he released my arm, and I flexed my fingers experimentally. There was still a little pain, but the worst of it was gone. I met his eyes, "Thanks, Tinman."

His eyes narrowed, and he tilted his head.

I chuckled at his confusion to which he chuffed in annoyance.

Our gazes remained engaged, and a silence descended upon the kehrite. An old familiar tension pulsed between us, and I dare not breathe or risk breaking the fragile magic. My eyes searched his, and I tried to covey everything I'd been holding back without using actual words.

 _Please..._

Slowly, I lifted my hand and reached for his face. Uzkielle registered the movement, but his eyes never left mine.

 _... hear me..._

My fingers brushed his jaw and... and it was over. He grabbed my hand and pulled it away. With his mandibles pulled back in a silent snarl, Uzkielle snatched his combistick and got to his feet. With his back to me, he said, "... 'earn to move fa _sss_ T... or die..." And without so much as a backward glance, he strode out of the kehrite, leaving me to stare after him.

 _Learn to move fast or die..._

With a furious shout, I slammed my fists against the floor and fought back the stupid tears.

 _Why does this hurt so damn much?!_

And for an instant, I heard my fathers voice, _"Because he's worth fighting for..."  
_

I wanted to argue but couldn't. My eyes went to the closed door of the kehrite.

 _I will best you, Uzkielle. Make no mistake, I will get my answers one way or another..._

* * *

 **A/N: Lol XD OMG, you guys are so much fun!** **By the way, all you fans waiting for Uzkielle to make his move this story is a polyandry romance. Lol, so it's gonna happen but I want it to happen organically. Uzkielle is a different beast from Osh. And their histories play a significant role in their behavior. So let the tension build just a little longer ;) I published a tad early because I won't have time tomorrow! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!**

 **KTCameleon: XDXDXDXD Haha, yeah, Osh can be an ass.**

 **Kay: Awe, thanx for the compliment :) I honestly thought about writing LOTR fanfics but it's such a complete story that I had a hard time trying to insert a new character :/ Moreover, the fans of LOTR can be as bad as the Trekkies, and I'm afraid I'll be up to my eyeballs with whiny, neurotic fans. XP Hehe, I found your account and now I'm following you. ;D Gah! That made me sound creepy! Anyway *rubs hands together gleefully* I promise, Precious has a plan for Uzkielle. Precious has plotted out the course of Uzkielle's and Nina's future and we swears- _you_ won't be disappointed... er, well, at least I hope you won't be. Precious has dramatic, sad, and *ahem* _lovely_ plans. Maybe not for Christmas but soon... very soon ;) Chi'ytei!**

 **Tenfangirl: Eeee thanx! You make me feel so proud of my writing! Your reviews are always confidence boosters! Hehe, Nina survives and it'll be delicious ;D I has lots of plans, my friend. Lots and lots of plans XD**

 **SolusPrimeLightBlast: Thanx for the love! Hope you enjoyed the update ;)**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Will do! Will do! XD Lots of rockin' and rollin' to be had XD**

 **angel897: Haha! Yup! Yup! Lucky girl! Thanx, angel :)**

 **sousie: Hehe ain't that the truth! What better way to forget ;D**

 **DiamondDi: Aaaaah! DiamondDi, I missed you! Omg, thanks for the compliment! I'd love nothing more than to publish but I'd have to write a whole new story first. I already know Fox, Darkhorse, and Titan Books won't allow me to publish a Predator romance. Maybe someday I'll write something a little different in the Predator franchise and try to get it publish ;)**

 **Anonymous reviewer: Thanx! I will write more soon :)**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Oh, but I want the tension to build just a tad more ;) Lol, you helped me with the idea for the light system. Thanx for that :) And that shaken Coke bottle is about to blow his top *hint hint wink wink***

 **Haylz93: Oh no! Haylz, I'm sorry if life is being a poop. Bag it, set it on fire and leave it on the doorstep of someone who pisses you off! XD Lol, anyway, in all seriousness, I hope things get better. And I'll keep writing and publishing :)**

 **Atlafan1286: Osh does want Uzkielle to act on his instincts. But its a complex set of dynamics. So even though he was teasing Uzkielle, the moment Uzkielle responded in a challenging manner Osh acted upon his instincts to keep the other male away. They're territorial by nature so it's a bit of dance. Both have a claim, both are okay with the others claim, but that doesn't mean they want to _see_ each other during those moments with Nina. I hope this helped. I'll try to be a bit more clear in the story. :)**

 **Alumys: Lmao XD I swear it's gonna happen. But like I said in the A/N, Osh is a different beast compared to Uzkielle. It's gonna take a bit more plotting and a bit more tension to make him "fall". But I promise he does ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Perish Angel: Lol, it's gonna happen. I just need to be smart about how. Thanx for the review :)**

 **Tigris16: Lol, it'll happen. Just keep reading ;) I need Uzkielle to break a specific way.**

 **KittyKatt25: XD I sorry... kind of, lol. Thanx for the review :)**

 **BubbaSue: Haha! Thanx for making me smile XD**

 **ryu crisis: Ah, thanx! I dunno if you read the rest of it after ch. 16, but I hope you enjoyed it :) Thanx for the love!**

 **CieloDistante: Lol, a really weird and dysfunctional family XD Some dogs are just stupid smart. I have a coyote mix and she is so intelligent it's scary! Lol, my cat is pretty scandalous too. The brat can open drawers and my socks keep disappearing! Hehe, I promise my friend things with Uzkielle and Nina are going to *ahem* explode ;D Thanx for the love my friend!**

 **DystrVction: Thanx! Glad you liked it :) Thanx for the love! Btw, in regards to your review for Dances With Werewolves, I'm a huge werewolf fan myself ;) In fact, a lot of what I wrote before AvP fics was about werewolves. I bet whatever you write will be amazing ;) Anyway, I just wanted to go ahead and say that since I'm not sure when my next update for DWW will be.**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: Haha XD I promise there will be more candy to come ;D And don't worry, this story is a polyandry, so Uzkielle will eventually break ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **09sasha: *sighs* I'll admit I feel bad for Uzkielle too at times but its all part of his behavior and his past. But I promise things are gonna happen. Good things ;) Very, very, good things XD**


	29. Chapter 29

**Don't Be Afraid of the Dark- that's Right! Fear the Damn ToothFairy!**

"This is totally wicked!" Danny announced, his emerald green eyes glittering in the sunshine reaching through cracks in the ceiling of the derelict ship to make pools of light on the floor.

Smiling, I stole a glance at Uzkielle. The cantankerous Yautja didn't share in my brother's enthusiasm and shook his head with a subtle snarl of annoyance. I couldn't decide the source of his foul mood. Not that Uzkielle ever needed a reason to be moody, he was pretty much cranky twenty-four/seven, but he seemed extra prickly today.

Was he angry that we'd come? Or did this have something to do with yesterday and how he ended up in the cockpit seconds before Osh boinked me into oblivion?

I shook my head. Better to not give myself that much credit, especially when Uzkielle wore his anger like a second skin.

"Ninaninanina!" Danny bounced over to me, his excitement bordering on mania. It was infectious, and even Osh'ikeille gave a soft snort of faint amusement. "This is so cool! Isn't it?! Isn't it?!

"Totally," I agreed, my voice full of laughter. Hell, we probably wouldn't have to worry about flashlights with Danny beaming that megawatt smile of his. If I were back on the _Predator_ right now, I'd be able to see his teeth from space.

Danny hopped away from me, and I do mean that literally, and bounded over to Osh'ikeille's side. Baymax, the poor werewolf, huffed and followed after the energizer-bunny-boy. His constant nannying of my brother was adorable to no end. It was a great relief. The boy had so many strong, confident, and protective -okay, slightly overprotective- figures in his life. Even Uzkielle, despite his prickish nature, cared about Danny. Though I often still found myself wondered if I was doing the right thing by exposing my brother to the Yautjas hostile and dangerous lifestyle, yet at the same time, there was no safer place for him to be. For us to be. Or at least not anymore. With Stevens and his team wiped off the face of the Earth, I had no doubt Weyland and his company would set their sights on me and my brother, and never stop looking for us. _Ha!_ Let em' try!

An occasional soft _swish_ accompanied my otherwise quiet steps as the bare skin of my feet dragged grit across the floor. Running around without shoes in a dank and dark decaying spacecraft was probably unwise, but I couldn't stand wearing those metal gladiator style boot things the Yautja wore. Those suckers were just plain uncomfortable, not to mention heavy. I sounded like a drunk water buffalo stomping down a runway in those things. So I might as well ring a damn dinner gong for all the stealth I could muster in those things. Besides, I've always been a barefoot heathen and proud of it. My calluses weren't sexy, but I enjoyed the feel of grit between my toes. And Danny was the same way.

In several places, where the floor had buckled, tenacious roots and other colorful life poked through and strained to reach the dappled sunlight. I ducked under a sheet of weird silvery moss hanging from the broken ceiling, and I would've brained myself on a pipe if a hand hadn't shot out and grabbed my arm.

A quiet rumble of impatience curled in the back of Uzkielle's throat as he reached out with his free hand and lifted the stray pipe out of the way. Clots of dirt came free from the movement and pelted my skin as I peeked up at him. Why did he make everything look so damn easy? Seriously, it was annoying. If I'd tried to lift that thing, it would've flattened me like a rolling pin.

Okay, the cartoonish imagery was kind of funny, so I dropped the sudden petty insecurity and gave him a teasing smirk. "Such a gentleman."

With the biomask on it was hard to read facial expressions, only the slight inclination of his head said I'd confused him. And yet the tightening of the skin around his eyes suggested he'd understood I'd poked fun at him, he just didn't get the joke.

Breathing a soft chuckle, I patted his arm and gave him a nod of gratitude, then turned and ducked under the pipe he held aloft. A second later I heard the _hush_ of earth as he let go of the pipe, and I knew without looking he was shadowing me. But for once, it didn't feel like he was dogging my steps and it brought a faint smile to my lips. I'd take the small victories where I could.

The dappled light began to dance. Flickering to and fro over the moldering guts of the ship. I glanced up, squinting to get a better look at some of the cracks and holes the light bled through. It took me a moment to realize the movement was coming from outside the ship and another to understand what I was seeing was the plant life growing over the hull swaying in the wind. The smell of fresh air mixed with the scent of decay and the mushroomy scent of living earth.

Uzkielle stopped just behind me, the heat of him soaking into my skin. I felt more than saw him look up. Curious as to what stopped me.

"Uzkielle are we headed deeper underground the farther we go?"

"Sei'i," he grunted. Briefly meeting my eyes before his attention shifted to something on my back.

"What?" I turned my head trying to look over my shoulder. "Is something crawling on me?!" I asked suddenly freaked by the thought of some alien cockroach-thing on me.

He snorted at my little freakout then lifted his hand and gently touched the combistick strapped to my rigging. Eyes narrowed, I could see the question forming in his orbs before he even voiced it.

"Sorry. Was it not okay to take it? It's the only combistick small enough for me to wield, and I didn't think you'd mind." It was the combistick he'd so callously dropped on me in the kehrite the other day. At first, I thought he'd gone out his way to make the ooman sized weapon but after careful inspection, I realized it wasn't new at all but old. Very old. Ancient even. The combistick had decades of wear and tear. And only years of use could account for the way the markings etched into its sides were worn down. The decorative strands of crystal and bone were also a dead give away that someone had loved this weapon and had used it for a long time.

Uzkielle's hand touched the beads letting them slip through his fingers before pulling his arm away. My brows pinched, he had this strange faraway look in his eyes, and when his mismatched orbs finally focused on my face, I swear to god for an instant I thought he seemed... pleased. _Pleased._ Uzkielle, pleased?! Holy shi-

With a quiet grunt, Uzkielle gripped my shoulder and gave me a curt nod then stepped away leaving me to stare after him like an idiot.

 _Hold the fucking phone!_

I trotted after him, and when I came abreast, I started searching for the brain slug that had clearly attached itself to his thick head. Uzkielle ignored me but seemed to slow his pace so that I could keep up. Again, I say, holy shit! And lemme just add a 'What the fuck?!' for good measure.

Uzkielle stopped, and I was so wrapped up in trying to locate the brain slug that I didn't notice until I walked face first into his ribs. Grunting, he lifted his arm up and eyed me quizzically with a mild dash of annoyance.

I blew a stream of air straight up my face to dislodge the hair hanging in my eyes. But I didn't back away. And I didn't apologize. Both would suggest I'd done something wrong, and I didn't! He did! By acting all nice and shit!

"What?!" I challenged then I mimicked all those annoying high-and-mighty high school bitches and swept around him like I was the goddamn queen bee and he was in my way.

 _Defensive much, Nina?_ I sighed at myself. Now, who was the one acting weird here? Again, I sighed at myself. Whenever Uzkielle's mood was anything but cantankerous, I just wasn't sure how to react. I've gotten so used to being defensive around him that whenever these small glimmers of what's beneath the crusty facade peeked through I didn't know how to react. Mostly because I didn't know how to duplicate it. What had I been doing anyway? Oh, right! He'd noticed I brought the combistick and seemed pleased by it... but why would that please him?

A low rumble of laughter made my hackles jump to attention. You ever hear a gator laugh? Well neither have I but I imagine it sounds similar. It took me a full heart-pounding second to grasp what I'd done and when I did the realization crashed into me like a fucking iceberg. I'd challenged him then gave him my back. Me. I'd flippantly challenged _Uzkielle_ , the nightmare king of predators and then gave him my back!

 _Oh my god..._

It had been an accident. I've lived with these guys long enough to understand their dynamics. I should've backed off and waited for him to ignore me and look away. But I hadn't. I'd been so caught up in what had transpired with the combistick that I'd forgotten not to treat him like an ordinary man.

But I would only make things worse now by withering. So I rallied. Harnessing some of that alpha mentality, I straightened my spine and peered up at him from over my shoulder and beneath my lashes.

The diesel engine rumble in his chest lowered to something akin to a growl but not quite. This was a curious sound and maybe even a playful one if the excited brightening of his mismatched irises was anything to go by.

 _He... likes my defiance?_

With those long powerful legs of his, Uzkielle closed the distance in two strides. His large hand gripped my chin, it was a gentle touch, but I felt the strength regardless. My eyes searched his, and I wondered if he was testing me to see if I'd look away. I didn't. I refused. And I lifted my chin a little higher.

The warm machinery thrum of his laughter tickled my skin and elated my heart. All I had to do was reach out and touch him-

"Zabin," he rumbled playfully, his claws tracing my jaw as he stepped away from me and headed for some sort of dilapidated structure jutting out of the wall.

I stared after him. Stunned. I think that was the first time he's ever called me Zabin with no trace of malice or contempt behind it.

 _What the fuck just happened?! I... I..._ Uzkielle didn't acknowledge me but he felt my gaze upon him. It was in the way he carried himself as if he wanted my eyes to follow him. And they did. Stray bands of light highlighted the diamondback pattern stretching over the swell and dips of his firmly muscled shoulders and back. It accentuated the deepest forest greens and black tones of his skin and made the near white diamond shapes pop. Ragged scars cut and broke apart some of the patterns but it was no less beautiful.

I licked my lips. Eyes constricted and mind somehow calmly assessing what had just taken place.

 _I just played a dominance game with Uzkielle and he... liked it._ My brows furrowed in consternation. _Didn't something like this happen in the kehrite?_ The forgotten moment played in my head. I'd been so distracted yesterday I overlooked it. _We were fighting... and when I bared my teeth he... smirked at me._

"Nina!"

I blinked. My eyes reluctantly slipped from Uzkielle to search for my brother only I found Osh'ikeille's gaze first. His wolf gold orbs were bright in the hollows of his mask. He'd seen the exchange between me and Uzkielle. Body language isn't always a dependable way of reading these guys, but I scanned for the telltale signs such as tension in the shoulders or neck. But far from looking annoyed, or even territorial, Osh'ikeille appeared relaxed. And then startled me with a bark of laughter when I cocked my head at him.

"Nina!Nina!Nina!"

Tossing his head in amusement, Osh'ikeille turned away and went back to whatever it was he'd been doing before. I frowned. This behavior wasn't new. Despite the fact that he enjoyed torturing his brother with mind games, Osh'ikeille wanted his brother to break. My eyes sought Uzkielle. I found him examining the remains of a black structure curving out from the wall. My eyes narrowed as I studied the vexing male. Is that what Osh'ikeille saw? Was Uzkielle-

"Nina!" Danny materialized in front of me.

"Wha?" I fumbled. My confused gaze swinging to him.

Danny crossed his arms over his chest and huffed, "Are you ignoring me?"

"Wha- no! I was just... distracted." Sighing, I tugged a hand through my hair. "What's up, Soot Sprite?"

Satisfied that he had my full attention, a smile broke through the scowl on his face. "Look at this!" He unfurled his arms and plucked Pichu from the collar of his shirt. With the little critter cupped in his hands, he held her up for me to see.

"Uh," I stammered. "I've already seen Pichu kiddo."

"But you haven't seen this!" Danny took a deep breath then gently blew on Pichu's fine feathery hairs. The little critter fluffed out her bright yellow plumage with a pleased sounding chortle. I started to ask what the big deal was when I noticed the yellow hue was growing brighter. And brighter. Drops of light collected on the silk threads of each hair until it bathed my brother's hands in it and killed the shadows on his face. And the light continued to bloom brighter until abruptly it winked out.

Danny and I were both left squinting and dazed for a moment after Pichu turned off the fucking sun. The little critter squeaked and bounced happily in Danny's palms as he pulled her close to his chest.

"Cripes that was bright," I said.

"Pichu's so cool!" He scratched the top of Pichu's head. From beside him, Baymax snorted. And the big dog's head swiveled in the other direction in disinterest.

"Yeah," I smiled. "Looks like you've got your own Light of Earendil."

Danny giggled.

"What?"

"That was like your fifth Lord of the Rings joke, Neens."

I blew out a breath, "There's no tv! And I missed the release of several new movies, including Guardians of the Galaxy 2!" With a dramatic sigh, I tossed an arm over my upturned face. "Dear god, I have no new source material!"

Danny snorted a laugh at my display and shook his head. "Hey, the oldies are still goodies."

"True," I dropped the act with a wink.

"Oh-" Danny placed Pichu on his shoulder then pulled our daddy's military grade Maglite from a strap on his hip. "-here."

I took it with a questioning lift to my brow.

He shrugged, "What do I need it for." He grinned and scratched Pichu's belly. The tiny alien chortled happily from the attention and closed her mother of pearl orbs in bliss. "I've got the light of the elves most beloved star now."

I laughed outright and tugged on one of his dreadlocks. Danny batted my hand away but was still smiling as he skipped back over to Osh'ikeille with Baymax hot on his heels. It was a good thing that Danny got my weird sense of humor otherwise it would've made this whole fucked up adventure way more challenging. Without a joke here and there, I'd go batshit insane, and the twins rarely understood or gave a rip about my witticisms or snarks which was just plain sad. The twins had a sense of humor, but their humor tended to be a little twisted and sometimes even cruel. I guess when your entire life revolves around perfecting your kill technique you develop an odd or callous or maybe even a vicious sense of humor.

Speaking of cruel and vicious, my gaze found its way back to Uzkielle. His focused seemed fixed on some sort of panel beneath what I suspected was a console. The panel was covered in roots and half buried in the damp earth. Uzkielle lowered himself to get a better look and as he did my eyes registered the height of the console. Whoever or whatever aliens previously called this ship home, they were small because the console was barely knee height to Uzkielle.

My eyes drifted up to the high dome-shaped ceiling before returning to Uzkielle.

 _Why is the ship so spacious above if the console is so low to the floor?_

Uzkielle started growling a string of curses in the Yautja tongue. He couldn't get a firm grip on the panel because for once, his large ass was working against him. I eyeballed his rump for a minute, getting oh-so-much-enjoyment out of his frustration and snickering as the curses grew louder and more colorful until the big behemoth stilled and glared at me from beneath his arm.

I stifled the giggles and smiled serenely, "Looks like you need _help_ there, Uzkielle." Oh, I was enjoying this _way_ too much.

Uzkielle scoffed and rumbled something foul before dismissing me and returning to failing at reaching the panel. I suddenly remembered reading Winnie the Pooh to Danny when he was four, and the picture of Pooh stuck in a hole in a honey tree, wiggling his butt, and- I burst out laughing.

"Oh-" The giggles were relentless. "-come on, Uh-ha-zkielle?" I breathed with laughter. Uzkeille snarled at me without withdrawing from under the console. I shook my head at the ear-splitting scrape of his talons on the metal and rolled my eyes heavenward. Males not asking for help is a sickness, and apparently, it goes beyond human men. Then again, I constantly fall for the ego-tards so what does that say about me?

 _Dammit, why couldn't I fall for some backstreet blonde pop singer like every other hormonally charged female?!_

Blowing out a breath, I tucked the Maglite into a strap and decided to live a little dangerously. If Uzkielle _liked_ my defiance, I'd show him defiance. Of course, just because he let me get away with it earlier didn't mean he'd let me do it again.

Stepping carefully over a gnarl of roots and a wide fissure in the floor, I strode over with determined purpose and crawled under the sagging console before Uzkielle could start barking orders at me. Uzkielle stiffened at my sudden invasion, but I caught his eye and hissed, "Move."

Uzkielle blinked. Caught off guard by my sudden boldness with him. I watched his eyes narrow to slits as they bore into mine. My legs and hands sank into the cool damp soil as I shifted forward. I could barely fit under here, my spine nearly flush with the bottom of the console, but I had enough room to move away from him in a hurry if I needed to.

"Uzkielle," I tapped my forehead against his mask in a gentle headbutt. "Let me do this."

 _I'm not helpless, Uzkielle... I'm not a freaking invalid!_

I didn't have to say it. He saw it in my eyes. The severity of his glare lessened, and he relented with a curt nod and a quiet rumble of discontent.

"I'm in your head, Uzkielle." I couldn't quite keep the cheeky laughter out of my voice as I turned to the panel and crawled forward. "And there ain't nothin' you can do about it."

He scoffed.

But I ignored him, lips pursing as I inched as close as I could to the panel. I slipped the Maglite from my hip, flipped it on, and jammed it between my knees to keep the light steady.

Shuffling behind me. The warmth of Uzkielle's body fled the confined space, and I shivered. But the unexpected trust he was showing by giving me space brought a tiny triumphant smile to my lips. Slowly but surely, the barricades were coming down. What I wanted to know was if Uzkielle was aware of it or not.

 _But he's always been so dead set against getting close to me..._ Except he hadn't, and my face pinched in thought. It wasn't until after the fight with the BadBlood that he really tried to distance himself. _That's not true,_ I shook my head. _It was after he hurt me..._ But even then, he hadn't always been able to distance himself.

Tongue stuck between my teeth, I mulled over the memories as I worked. The panel was pitted and covered in a mix of dry and damp earth and roots barely clinging to life. I swiped a hand through the dirt among the roots. There was writing on the metal, but it was faint and indecipherable.

I cast a questioning glance at Uzkielle over my shoulder. He was crouched, one hand on the console as he ducked under to watch me.

"What's behind the panel?"

He smacked his free hand against the bottom of the console then brought both his hands together and started to sign. Unfortunately, I couldn't interpret the whole string of signs.

I shook my head, "I didn't catch all that. Something about the ships system and...?"

He signed the word I missed again and verbalized it too. "... _p_ ower..." he growled, hitting the P more like an O.

I nodded and turned back to the panel.

 _What's the point in checking the ship's power? It's dead._

Though, I decided it didn't really matter. Uzkielle was tech savvy so it made sense for him to want to cut through the guts to find the heart of the ships operating systems. In fact, it was something we both shared. Wanting to know how things worked anyway. Sure, I can take apart a Beemer and put it back together again, but put computer bits and cables in front of me, and I'll rub 'em together and try to start a fire first. Hell, a three-toed sloth would be more technologically inclined than I am.

I cut away roots with the blade Osh gave me. Nails ringed and blackened with soil, I traced the outer lip of the panel with my fingertips. One corner had a notch in it, creating a finger hold. I wedged my thumb inside and thought better of it, then slid the edge of the blade in instead. Decades of exposure to the elements had weakened its structural integrity, and I managed to pry the corner up enough to get a good grip with both hands. With a few grunts and promises of swift death the metal plate creaked and one side popped free with a wailing groan.

"Ah-ha-ha-ha!" I mock cackled. I swear I sensed Uzkielle's eyes roll in their sockets behind me, but I was too pleased with my little victory to give a rip. _Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah!_ I silently taunted the hunter. _I did something you couldn't!_ A small childish part of me wanted to turn around and spit my tongue out and say it out loud, but I was feeling defiant, not suicidal.

I picked up the flashlight and tried to get a look behind the panel. "Hey, Uzkielle," my brows furrowed at a whole lotta nothin' in the space beyond, but the angle was bad. Uzkielle grunted, and I heard a crunch like dried leaves as he crouched down further. I set the flashlight aside and grabbed the panel and pulled. "I don't think-" I grunted. "-there's circuitry behind this."

The metal plate broke away, and I fell back on my butt at the sudden release. I tossed the heavy plate aside and cast a glance back at Uzkielle, "Well that was fun."

He cocked his head.

I rolled my eyes. Why even bother with sarcasm? I sighed, snatched up the flashlight, placed one hand on the edge of the hole and shown the light around. There was a metal wall two feet in front of me and to the right and to the left. I aimed the beam up, and eventually, the light was lost in the gloom. A cool breeze brushed my face and chest... a sound... like someone expelling a desperate breath. I lowered the light and stared into the murking darkness below. Another shuddering moan raised the hairs on my arms.

 _It's just the wind... coming from underground... oh, yeah-_ that _makes total sense!_

I think Uzkielle called out to me, but I couldn't really hear anything beyond the ship's breathing.

 _There's something down there... what's that old quote? ...gaze long into the abyss, and the abyss will gaze back into you.. er, something like that._

I stared hard into the deep dark. Unconsciously leaned forward. Clots of dirt came loose and fell silently into the nothing. Something was down there. I could feel it. But instead of freaking out, I felt weirdly calm.

"Hey, Nina?"

Danny's voice.

 _"Niiiinaaaa..."_

My eyes widened. That wasn't my brother's voice.

 _"Niiiinaaaa..."_

The wind whispered. My eyelids grew heavy. Everything sort of seemed cottony or muzzy... what was I doing again?

The swirling darkness reached for me, and I let go...

"Nina!"

... and fell into the abyss.

* * *

 **A/N: Aah man! No one got my "hunka chunka" reference in the previous chapter! You shall all be punished with the dreaded cliffy then! Mwaahahaahahahaa! ;D**

 **Ryu crisis: Ah, thanx! And no prob ;) I always try to reply.**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: I think so ;) Thanx for the review.**

 **angel897: Lol, it'll happen ;) Nina is every bit as stubborn as he is. Thanx for the love, angel!**

 **Rasha007: The archetype I use for the brothers is brother lions. In nature, a pride of lions has one dominant male but on very rare occasions brother lions have been documented sharing a pride. Now they still fight over mating and there's tension but they both fiercely protect the pride and manage to coexist without killing each other. That's what I have going on here. I'll try to make it clearer in the story but it's hard since they aren't human or lions. Hope this helped.**

 **Venom is my poison: Lmao XD the one who shall not be named! Haha- I love that XD Nina won't inherit too much more from the blood but I have other plans in mind ;) And don't worry. Let the tension build a little bit longer- hehe *rubs hands together gleefully***

 **sousie: Lmao, yeah, I think that would get his attention XD I don't think she brought a frying pan with her ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Kelwtim2spar: Ah, no problem! And thanx for the love :)**

 **Kay: Haha XD I know, I know. Precious has kept you in limbo for too long. Too long. Precious promises it'll be good though. Precious will make Uzkielle break and it'll be good ;D We swears! Just a few more turns and he will break! No coma! Must read! Precious says must read! Thanx Chi'ytei :)**

 **Anonymous reviewers: 1) I promise, I will write more soon :)**

 **FFEShadowfoot: Thanx! Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving too! :D**

 **ShadowSoldiers: Sorry but _whelp_ is the correct term. Whelp references young boys or a pup. Nina was basically calling Danny a pup. But thanx for the review and I'm glad you liked it :)**

 **wolviegurl: Hehe, exactly! Thanx, wolviegurl :D**

 **Tenfangirl: XD Eeee, thanx! Hehe, I suspect it will be epic too ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **KTCameleon: Haha! Lol, everyone wants to know whats behind the T towel XD Hope you had an awesome holiday!**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Thanx! I enjoyed writing that fight scene. You're always so encouraging! Thanx for the love :)**

 **atlanfan1286: In a sense, yes. Coexistence will become both easier and difficult once they are both mated to Nina. It's like I said about the brother lions. It's a delicate balance. They 'share' the females but they still routinely fight over them. Uzkielle will calm down slightly once he has Nina but there will always be tension. And fights. It'll be up to Nina to keep the peace when tempers flare but sometimes you just gotta let them fight it out. Also, it's important to remember had these two very dominant males not been brothers this scenario would never work.**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: Of course! I love updating! And I love the reactions XD Thanx for the love!**

 **09sasha: I'm glad you're excited :) I can't wait to share what happens!**

 **Tigris16: Haha XD You kill me! More detail, huh? I'll try my best ;) Thanx so much for the compliment and the love!**

 **First Dragon: Lol, ain't that the truth! XD Thanx for the love!**

 **Haylz93: Haha, he really is a troll. I think Uzkielle shocked Nina a bit this chapter. Hmmm, I wonder where this will lead ;) *rubs hands together and cackles* I hope things get better for you Haylz. I really do :) And thanx for all the love!**

 **Curlyshy123: You're so very welcome! XD Thanx for reading it and letting me know how much you love it! It had me smiling from ear to ear ;)**


	30. Chapter 30

**The Bone Eater's Well**

Into the darkness, I plunged deeper and deeper. The weightlessness and the jolt of gravity dragging me further into the deep brought a sudden rush of clarity, and I screamed like a bloody banshee. Adrenaline slammed through my veins. The rush of musty air turned my hair into a stinging whip that lashed at my face. I squinted down into the nothing and wondered if I'd feel death punch my ticket or if-

I slammed palms and knees first into the metal shaft aware somewhere in the back of my mind as I tumbled ass over teakettle that the drop had sloped into a slide. A chute or a channel of some kind. Down the chute, I rolled, managing to bang every part of my body against the metal interior until I was mercifully dropped like a bag of cats.

I landed belly first with a gasp that echoed off unseen walls.

"How-" I wheezed. "-did I not see that coming?..."

Sucking in air clogged with dust, I coughed and spat, but I couldn't work up enough saliva. It was like gargling with sandpaper. The grit scraped my teeth and left my throat and mouth feeling raw. Tears ran down my cheeks from the hacking fit, and I blinked furiously to clear the crud from my eyes.

It didn't help. The darkness was absolute. Despite Uzkielle's blood heightening my senses, not even the perk of night vision could pierce the solid wall of black surrounding me on all sides.

"NINA!"

A voice. I'd like to say it was an angel, only my little brother didn't own a halo. His voice sounded tinny and far away. Growing fainter and fainter as it bounced off objects in the wide open space I sensed more than saw.

"NINA! HEEELLOOO?!"

Clouds of dust kicked back in my face as I exhaled grunting breaths, attempting to get my arms under me. I shifted, and my arms and legs swam through debris that made odd wooden block clinking noises when shoved aside. With knees locked under me, I shoved myself up into a sitting position and sat there for a second rolling the kinks from my aching body.

"NINA! EARTH TO NI-"

"Danny!" My shout came out more as a croak but it carried anyway.

"NINA?! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"

I rolled my eyes. Why do people ask that question when it's so obvious things are not fine?!

"Oh, yes. It's a fucking party," I growled.

"NINA?"

"PEACHY, DANNY," I hollered, voice straining and cracking. Tears stung my eyes again, but I ignored the discomfort. "I DIDN'T BREAK ANYTHING, SO YOU KNOW THAT'S A PLUS." Maybe not broken, but my tits sure ached something fierce after taking the brunt of that epic belly flop. I guess I should just be happy this isn't a B horror movie or they would've burst in a shower of gore.

"WHERE ARE YOU?"

 _The void where all your socks go to die, Danny._

"NO IDEA. I CAN'T SEE A GODDAMN THING!"

"HANG ON!"

A moment later a loud metallic clang made my skin and heart jump. It banged a few more times, each time making me bite my tongue a little harder until it changed to metal sliding on metal, then a brief pause before something landed near my feet with a heavy clatter.

"DID YOU GET IT?!"

I leaned forward and blindly searched through the debris. The melodic sound they made as they brushed each other reminded me of bamboo chimes. My fingers swept over them, the sizes varied and the texture seemed hard yet fragile at the same time and there was something about the shape of them-

My right hand nudged something cylindrical and sent it rolling. I jerked forward, tracking the metallic scrape with my ears and caught the flashlight before it could get lost in the dark too.

"GOT IT!" I shouted and switched on the Maglite. My eyes closed, a knee-jerk reaction to the intense light. I cracked my eyes open and blinked away spots. Instantly, I felt a zillion times better holding the flashlight but as my eyes adjusted the secure feeling the light brought with it vaporized.

"Oh, my god..." My voice was barely audible over the rushing of blood in my ears. A cold chill swept through me that had nothing to do with the actual tepid temperature of the musty air.

"NINA! WHAT DO YOU SEE?"

"Death..."

Technically, not death. Death had passed through this place a long time ago if the state of decay was anything to go by. Bones. Hundreds and hundreds of bones. Thousands! There were literally hills and valleys of them! The light's touch could reach three hundred meters yet the shadows beyond revealed even more death.

 _Oh, fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! I'm in the fucking BONE EATER'S WELL!_

The hairs on the back of my neck sprung to attention, and I swung around in search of Mistress Centipede. Nothing jumped out at me. Nothing _living_ , anyway. A skull laying on its side gave me pause. I stepped closer, the bones of the dead clinking softly as I moved.

 _This can't be..._

"NINA? HEY! I SAID WHAT DO YOU SEE?!"

I crouched over the sloping skull and tentatively poked at its glassy-silver teeth. No doubt about it. This was a Xenomorph skull.

"NINA!"

"I'M," I licked my dust-caked lips and nervously shown the flashlight around. "I THINK I'M IN A TOMB..."

 _More like a mass grave._ The light swept over the seemingly endless piles of bones. _Definitely, a mass grave..._

"REALLY?! ARE THERE ANY MUMMIES?"

Dammit did he have to sound so excited? I rolled my eyes. "NOT THAT KIND OF TOMB, DANNY!"

"WELL, WATCH OUT FOR 'EM ANYWAY!"

The light flicked over several more Xeno skeletons tangled with the skeletons of other aliens I didn't recognize. My foot brushed a skull of one of the small unknown aliens, so I bent over and picked it up. It was a tiny thing. About the size of a child's skull with wide set orbital bones and dark purple-ish horns that curled around the sides of the forehead and over where the ears might've been, but that part of the skull was missing, and so was the mouth.

"HEY, NINA! LOBOMON SAYS TO SWITCH ON YOUR SAT COM SO WE CAN FIND YOU!"

Still holding the skull, I rotated my wrist so that the bracer was facing up and turned on the SAT COM. The comp glowed red, ghoulishly illuminating the bones closest to me. Switching on the SAT COM not only meant they'd find me faster but it had the added benefit of mapping this area of the ship. If I was still even on the ship. Although, I had this sickening feeling as the light revealed more and more dead Xeno's that they wouldn't find me fast enough.

 _And here we've been screaming at the top of our lungs... peachy..._

"Hey, OSH! UZKIELLE! IF YOU TWO CAN HEAR ME-" I yelped in surprise as bones clattered to the stone floor somewhere behind me, but when I spun around I saw absolutely nothing. "- THERE ARE LOTS OF DEAD XENOMORPHS DOWN HERE, AND I'D _REALLY_ HATE TO FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY LIVE ONES!"

"BUG ALIENS! THERE'S BUG ALIENS DOWN THERE?!"

"JUST DEAD ONES..."

 _I hope..._

"WE'RE COMING, NINA! LOBOMON SAYS TO STAY PUT!"

I snorted, "AND WHERE THE FUCK AM I GONNA GO?!"

But there was no response, and the deafening silence chilled me more than if I'd heard the chittering of bug aliens...

...

Without a cell phone or the convenience of the bracer doubling as a DS to play with, I got bored, and curiosity eventually won out. Although, truthfully, I was still feeling defiant and Uzkielle's _sit_ and _stay_ command irked me to no end. Seriously, would he never learn? Besides anything beats sitting in the dark just waiting for the beasties to find you.

So I dusted my rear end off and followed the narrow winding path through the foothills of the dead. The stone floor was dark grey and cobbled. Not something you'd see inside a spaceship. Or at least, I didn't think you would. Then again, what the hell do I know about such things? The _Predator_ sure as shit wasn't anything like I imagined, so for all I know they've got a Legoland in here somewhere.

 _Better yet a fountain! Made of Mountain Dew! Code Red Mountain Dew!_

Okay, I might've drooled a little. I haven't had actual caffeine in weeks, and the withdrawal has left me cranky- er, well, crankier than usual.

"Oh, gods please let there be a fountain of Mountain De-hu- Ouch!" I hissed, jumping around on my left foot as pain stung the bottom of my right one.

Muttering a few choice curses, I lowered myself to the floor and shown the light on my foot. Something glinted in the beam, something small and jade in color.

 _A stone?_

I plucked the stone out, wincing as a bead of blood welled up and slid down the pad of my foot. I stretched my leg back out and focused the light on the stone. Its surface was smooth, the edges perfect. No stone naturally comes out of the ground this way.

 _Jewelry?_

Frowning, I scanned the floor where I'd been walking and caught sight of two more jade green stones twinkling at me. I got up and picked up the other two pieces. Curious as to where they came from, I swept the flashlight's beam over the pile of bones closest to where I'd found them and discovered what looked to be a partially intact skeleton of one of the smaller unknown aliens.

I crouched, ignoring the sting in my foot and gingerly moved the delicate bones. More of the same stones _plinked_ on the cobbled floor, and it drew my attention to the withered state of the alien's armor. Or clothes. Hard to tell. The fabric was nearly disintegrated with no identifiable markings or even colors, other than decay-grey. But there was a broken strand of jade stones woven around the creatures curled horns. I might be wrong, but the arrangement of the stones and the placement gave this particular creature a regal quality, and I laid the stones I'd collected by the skull out of respect. Stealing anything from this place would be beyond dishonorable.

My eyes lifted from the alien to roam over the valleys of the dead. A weird feeling has steadily been growing in the back of my mind. A coldness I couldn't quite shake. This hadn't simply just been a war, this had been the unknown aliens last stand.

 _What happened here? And why are there so many Xenomorphs?_

The Xenomorphs. There was another strangeness to these skeletons. Many of the Xenomorph bones exhibited odd burn patterns while others looked to be completely disintegrated. I've also been noticing a strange odor to this place too. Like ozone. When I was seven I put a battery in my mouth -Yes, I know genius right here!- and the same taste on the back of my tongue then, was present now.

 _"Niiiinaaa..."_ A cool breeze lifted my hair along with my hackles.

Slowly, eyes roving the darkness, I got to my feet. The same presence I'd sensed before the fall washed over me for a second time. I recognized the cottony feeling and fiercely shook my head.

"Stop that!" I shouted, fists clenched at my sides. The wind brushed my face, and I tilted my head in the direction it was coming from. "What do you want?!"

 _"Nina..."_

 _"...you must stop her-"_

 _"-stop them!_

 _"-kill her..."_

Pressure pulsed behind my eyes, and I clutched at my head. Too many voices. There were too many voices! So many voices! Dozens of them! Hundreds of them! All of them vying for my attention. "Stop! There's too many of you! I don't understand-"

 _"... the world eater..."_

 _"... the nova blight..."_

 _"...kill her..."_

 _"... you must kill her..."_

I shook my head in pure frustration, "I don't understand. Wha-"

A powerful force seized my shoulders. Forced me to face them. I wouldn't go down without a fight. The adrenaline still thundered through my veins and out of pure fear and instinct I grasped the dagger at the small of my back and-

"Dtoudi Shur'ie!" Osh'ikeille's strong hand caught my upward thrust.

Dazed, I blinked up at him in confusion. His wolf gold orbs were bright and drawn tight with tension. An innocuous rumble stirred in his chest and his jaw dipped slightly as if he wanted to nudged my face like he'd done a million times before but hesitated.

 _What... happened?_

My eyes searched his. I didn't understand. But then Osh'keille's eyes slowly slid away, and I followed the movement and blinked in utter shock at the sight of my obsidian dagger so close to his ribs.

"Jesus fucking fish sticks!" I dropped the dagger and drew away from him.

 _Why did I do that?_ How _did I do that?! I've never been that fast?!_

My eyes caught Osh'ikeille's, and I unconsciously withdrew even further. I didn't remember feeling his presence, and I've _always_ been able to feel his presence unless he explicitly doesn't want me to.

Osh'ikeille made a chirring noise and titled his head. No doubt confused at my sudden need to flee. Honestly, I wasn't even sure. I didn't feel right. And I was scared.

"Osh... I-"

 _Don't apologize, Nina. He won't understand and he might take it as a rejection or a sign of weakness._

"I... I wasn't myself a second ago." If Osh'ikeille had heard the same voices I had, he gave no indication of it, which begged the question. Did I really hear anything at all? It seemed like a faded dream. I licked dry, cracked lips, "But I think I'm okay now."

His eyes narrowed even further, the chirr deepening into a low rumble but not quite a growl. My eyes dodged his, and I dropped my head in shame for losing control of myself. If I'd managed to actually hurt Osh, I never would've forgiven myself.

This time he did growl, and I sensed his movement a nanosecond before his strong hands grabbed my jaw and forced my head up. Enraged by my sudden submissiveness, his wolf gold orbs blazed, and the warmth of his skin was like a roaring inferno ever where it touched me.

A tiny smile twitched my lips, and I relaxed despite the way his anger electrified the air. I never had to be submissive with Osh. I did with Uzkielle but never Osh. My eyes softened on his as I placed my palm on the side of his biomask. "My bad. It won't happen again."

He rumbled something in the Yautja tongue then rubbed the underside of his jaw on the top of my head. The bare skin of my stomach brushed his, and I giggled as he pressed me against the tea towel armor covering his cock with a playful throaty hum.

I snorted, "Are you serious right now? Because we are soooo _not_ getting frisky in a boneyard."

Deep thunderous laughter rolled through him and crashed over my skin with a thousand little zings to every nerve ending.

"Where's Danny?" I asked, mostly in an attempt to distract myself. I had no problem doing the wild mambo with Osh in strange places, but a mass grave is where I drew the line. Hey, a girl's gotta have some standards. And fucking me here wouldn't be for pleasure, it was an autonomic response to what had happened. A way to reassure himself that I was alright.

Osh'ikeille ignored the question and slid those dangerous claws of his teasingly over the vertebrae in the back of my neck, making me shiver. Fuck. I both loved and hated it when he did that. There was an underlying threat to that touch yet it was so intimate that a spark of heat ignited my core and sent ripples of desire through me. And Osh'ikeille knew it too. He knew exactly what he was doing to me. My mate has always been a manipulative bastard, but at times this hunter could be downright evil.

His laughter deepened into low rumbles of something much darker than humor, and I was a breath away from fucking my standards when reality checked back in in the form of my brother's voice.

"Nina? Heeeelloooo, Nina? Pakkun?"

 _Dammit, I knew that kid didn't have a halo..._

With a regretful sigh, I released my death grip on Osh's hips and put some distance between us or tried to at least. Osh'ikeille yanked me to him with a soft snarl and heaven help me I would've given anything to melt against his steely form, but I've already done my fair share of scaring my baby brother for life, and I seriously was not about to do anything rated R in front of my him.

"Osh'ikeille," I said softly but sternly. I grabbed his hands, and he allowed me to peel them away, albeit with a growl of discontent. Would things always be this hot between us? You always hear how the passion is fierce when its new only to fade over time.

Irked by the thought, I bared my teeth, grabbed the underside of Osh'ikeille's biomask and put a little heat behind my voice. "I promise you can exploit the soft flesh of my pinkest parts later."

The growl darkened with humorless laughter once more and the glint in his eyes said he'd hold me to that promise. I smiled and released him. When this was over, I had every intention of fulfilling that promise because I could seriously use the distraction after being in this creepy place.

"Nina! Lobomon, where did they go?!" Danny's voice carried over the valley of the dead. They were close. I could hear the clinking of bones as Danny walked and felt the familiar pinch of Uzkielle's presence at the nape of my neck.

"We're over here, Danny!" I shouted.

Danny's head popped up over one of the ridgelines, illuminated by the soft glow of Pichu's light. "Finally! I thought for sure a mummy got you," he said as he slid down the slope of bones on his butt. Baymax crested the hill just behind him but instead of sliding he merely lept to the narrow pathway on the floor.

I rolled my eyes, "Your concern moves me."

Danny giggled and ran up to us. "Ah, come on, Nina! We could've Indiana Jone's d'shit out of the mummies!"

"Indiana Jones didn't have burners, Danny. Or Yautja for that matter. It wouldn't have been a fair fight."

He pursed his lips, "Maybe not-" A grin split his face and it looked freakishly maniacal in the low light. "-but it sure woulda been fun watchin' you get chased by one!"

I raised my arms with fingers spread like claws and growled, "I'll show you a mummy!"

Squealing with laughter, Danny spun away from my sluggish lunge and ran back the way they'd come and ducked behind Uzkielle. I froze. Uzkielle. His body was backlit by Pichu's glow leaving his biomask and eyes in stark shadow, but I didn't have to see his eyes to know something was wrong. The rigidness of him said he was angry, but that didn't quite define what I was sensing. Whatever it was it made me want to hide. The warmth I'd leached from Osh's skin fled my body and left me chilled to the core. This wasn't anger. This was fury.

 _What is this?... What did I do?!_

I couldn't think of a single thing that could've caused this. My mind raced, but all that came to me was that maybe, just maybe my fall had scared him. But even that was a dangerous thought to tred because nothing scares Uzkielle...

 _Or does it..._

...

In the galley, back on the Predator, I sat cross-legged on the ledge of a viewport, nearly the length of the room, overlooking the endless expanse of a galaxy I didn't know the name of. The Yautja had a name for it, but when I attempted to repeat it the twins burst out laughing because apparently, I'd said something along the lines of doing it bug-style and enjoying being peed on.

I sipped the foul brew of something fruity, ignoring its bitter edge as I starred at the purple-brownish planet; not only did it fill half the view from where I sat, it filled my mind as well. I couldn't escape what happened yesterday in the boneyard, not even after sharing the night with my mate. I should've been dead to the universe once he was done with me except the voices plagued my dreams and kept me awake.

"This stuff tastes funny," Danny muttered.

I gave my brother a sidelong glance. He sat in front of the island in the center of the galley on a stool specially made for him to reach it. A smile twitched my lips as he wrinkled his nose at the fruity concoction in a freaking quart-sized glass that he could barely manage in his small hands. It was cute. It reminded me of when he was a toddler and the way he'd balance the cup on the edge of the table and lean it towards his mouth. Of course, that usually ended with a milk bath down the front of his clothes and all over the floor.

Features twisted as if he were smelling three-day-old gym socks, Danny shoved the cup aside with a pout. "We shoulda brought chocolate milk." His head inclined in my direction, "Do you think they'd make a pitstop?"

"For what? Groceries," I laughed. "I doubt it kid."

His puckered forehead drew down in a deep frown, and I didn't care for the way his eyes focused on the metal surface of the island.

"Hey," I slid off the ledge and crossed the room. When I laid my hand on his head he didn't look up or even bat it away. "You okay, Soot Sprite?" I brushed the dreads from his forehead and out of his eyes. "Are you feeling a little homesick?"

He shook his head, "Not really." Our eyes met, and I sensed he was telling the truth, but there was something else going on.

"Then what is it?"

"It's just..." He looked away again. "How am I suppose t'get as big as Lobomon and Pakkun on nasty fruit juice?"

A shit storm of giggles erupted from me. I couldn't help it. The kid was so damn serious!

Danny glared up at me. His cheeks flush with anger, "Nina! It's not funny!"

"D-hu-Danny-" Insane laughter boiled out of me. "-that's what you're worried about?!"

Danny's cheeks puffed out, and I just couldn't stand it. I poked one of his cheeks and Danny swatted my hand away. "Danny-" I sucked in a breath and fought to control the shaking. "-slow down." I coughed, and tears stung my eyes. "You're not even nine yet."

"So!" He growled, "I wanna be big too! Big as Lobomon!"

I snorted, "Danny, Lobomon is a freak of nature." Sighing, I swiped away a stray tear and leaned against the island. "And besides, it took him centuries to get that big."

"But we're oomans, we don't got centries."

" _Centuries_ ," I corrected. "And you're right we don't." I decided then and there I wasn't going to tell him I may very well live a few centuries thanks to Uzkielle's blood. If I did, he'd beg the brothers to do the same for him, and I wanted Danny to grow into adulthood naturally. Then, and only then, would I tell him. If he wanted to lengthen his lifespan -that is assuming the brothers would agree to it- he'd have to wait until he was mature enough to make the decision. Besides the thought of Danny staying this age for decades scared the ever-lovin'-shit outta me! "But that's okay, Danny. You still have plenty of time and plenty to learn from both the brothers right now. Trust me, kiddo, you're gonna be a great hunter."

"But I still won't get that big."

I rolled my eyes heavenward and sheathed the sarcastic retort. "Again, Danny, you're not even nine. Give it time. You've still got a few growth spurts left. Do you remember how tall daddy was?"

His lips puckered in a duckbill kind of way as he thought about it and shook his head after a moment.

"Our daddy was 6'2'', Danny, he was a big man. And so was our uncle for that matter. You may not get as tall as a Yautja, but you're gonna get pretty fucking tall."

He smirked, "And then you'll have to look up to me!"

I blew a raspberry at him, "Keep dreaming, kid. You might get taller than me but remember," I leaned into him, "I'm the meaner one." I ended the sentence with a teasing smile and a wink.

Danny giggled, "You got that right! Even Lobomon and Pakkun duck n' cover when you go all mononoke!"

"They do not," I sputtered. "Do they?"

Now Danny was the one holding his sides and yucking it up. "Haven't you notice that neider of them are around when you wake up?"

Actually, I had noticed that. But I only thought they were busy with the ship.

"You're lying!"

"Nope," Danny grinned.

"You cheeky little suckling!" I grabbed him, and Danny squealed as I put him in a headlock. "Take it, back! Take it-"

Uzkielle stepped into the galley, and I paused giving my brother the opportunity to escape my hold. Danny elbowed me in the ribs making me grunt.

Uzkielle's mandibles flicked, his mismatched orbs cold enough to snuff out a star. And wouldn't you know it, they were focused on me. Peachy.

"Zabin," he growled. Ah, so we were back to calling me Zabin with a bucket of animosity. Huzzah for me. God if only I could sound that scary with a single word.

"We go to kehrite," he rumbled. Uzkielle has fallen into a pattern of speaking and signing at the same time in order to teach us. And he punctuated every word he spoke with cutting gestures. Even his signing managed to be hostile. "We f _iii_ ghT."

I sagged. Witty banter with Danny was one thing, but I seriously lacked the energy to do anything more physically demanding than blowing my nose. Hell, even that sounded exhausting. "Oh, come on, Uzkielle-"

He snarled, "Ou 'earn to move fast or die!" Uzkielle didn't bother to make sure I was following him when he left because he expected me to obey him.

My face twisted in annoyance, "Yeesh, what a grouch. And is it just me or is his English getting better?"

"That's because I've been teaching him."

I blinked stupidly and stared at my brother, "You wha?"

Danny smiled proudly, "I've been teaching him. It seemed only fair."

"Why?"

"Because he asked me too."

 _Uzkielle asked Danny to teach him English? Uzkielle? What the living hell?!_

"Why did he ask you instead of me?"

"I dunno." Danny's brows drew down, "And what's wrong wit me teaching him?"

"Danny, say ridiculous."

"Ridikerous," he repeated hotly.

I patted his head, my eyes still on the spot Uzkielle had been standing in moments ago. "Exactly my point, kiddo." I moved to the door. Despite being pissed with the big behemoth, now I was just too damn curious not to follow him to the kehrite. "That's exactly my point..."

* * *

 **Update** **Info:** **Because of the holidays my workload has become hectic. I will try my best to update next week, but I may not be able too :( You can always check my profile for more update info. If I can not post next week, it'll be listed under the story info. Thanx for all the favs, follows, and reviews!**

 **Sleepyhallow02: Why apologize? Of course, the big behemoth needs to get laid! Lol ;D**

 **Anonymous reviewer: I will ;)**

 **Rasha007: Good good :) Thanx for the love!**

 **Hyalz93: Hehe your right about the shit storm *wink wink* Oh, what a shit storm indeed! I has many plans. *Rubs hands together and smiles Joker smile* Many, many plans. ;) And yes it would be totally weird if she wasn't getting into some kind of trouble XD Thanx for the love!**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Hope you liked it :D**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: I just couldn't help myself with that cliffy ;D**

 **Momo: Aaaah thanx for the compliment! XD Lol, I think this update left you with more questions than answers but not to worry my friend things are about to get interesting. Real interesting ;) *rubs hands together gleefully* I can hardly wait to post again XD**

 **angel897: Thanx, angel! :D**

 **sousie: Haha, I know right?! But then, it wouldn't be much fun if she wasn't ;)**

 **Tenfangirl: Well, ouch! That's gotta hurt! Don't do that! Scream into a pillow instead, lol! XD Thanx for the love, Tenfangirl!**

 **xHaRleyQuiNnSiRenx: Ah, thanx! I'm having a lot of fun writing the game XD**

 **Luna Lace: Oh, sweet darkness ;D Lol, loved your review. Hope you enjoyed the update and thanx for the love :)**

 **Tigris16: Oh, you do, do you? Fufu but you may find I has a few more tricks up my sleeve ;D Lol, I'd post faster if I could, but *sighs* life. Thanx for the love my friend! :)**

 **Atlanfan1286: No prob :) Lol, sorry, I think the cliffy's have become somewhat of an addiction XD But I was nice and ended this chapter without a dramatic drop ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Grizzlybearsandteacups: Ah, thanx so much for the compliment! I really loved your review! Makes me feel good about my work :)**

 **DystrVction: Lol, yeah, I wanted to shake things up in a whole new way ;)**

 **09sasha: Fufu, I bet I can guess what you're thinking. One step forward in the last chapter and two steps backward in this one. But not to worry, I'll make it all better ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Lioness32: Ah, thanx! XD You're so sweet to say that! Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **Foxy-Floof: That's okay. Nina doesn't understand the swing in behavior this chapter, so you're not necessarily supposed to either. Thanx for reading :)**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Hehe, figured it out did ya ;D Well, me thinks me has a few more tricks you haven't seen XD I'm loving Pichu too! She even surprised me with her ability, and I'm the writer! XD Thanx for the love!**

 **First Dragon: Lol, I actually take your impatience as a compliment! XD It means I'm doing something right! Gah! I know, I know. The tension is killing a lot of readers, even me. I have lots of plans, my friend. The timings almost perfect ;D Thanx for the love!**

 **MidnightDragon0213:** **The archetype I use for the brothers is brother lions. In nature, a pride of lions has one dominant male but on very rare occasions brother lions have been documented sharing a pride. So** **it's important to remember had these two very dominant males not been brothers this scenario would never work. Like brother lions they will still fight over mating and there will always be tension. That being said they would never mate a female at the same time.** **So while they both can mate with Nina it will never be a three-way.** **Hope this helped clear things up. Thanx for reading. :)**


	31. Chapter 31

**Invasion of the Body Snatchers**

If the walls of the corridors could talk, they'd whisper "Dead woman walking..." because I was. The very thought of dealing with that cantankerous asshole right now filled my stomach with ravenous butterflies with razor blades for wings, and I just didn't have the energy to verbally, or physically go mano a mano with him. Not when the soft furs covering the berth I shared with Osh called my name. Fuck it was tempting, but of course, my pride wouldn't allow me to turn tail and hide no matter how sweetly sleep beckoned to me.

 _"Niiinaaa..."_

My eyes blinked wide, and I slowly came to a stop to survey the dimly lit corridors. No one was there. No surprise. It was just me and the fog of natural gases curling around my legs. I shook my head and kept going. Even if I did crawl under the warmth of the covers, I sincerely doubted the voices would allow me to sleep. They'd plagued me all night and well into the early morning, and I just couldn't shake the unease I was feeling.

 _We should leave this place..._

And as soon as I thought it, the unease grew teeth and claws.

...

The door to the kehrite slid open with a quiet _swish_ and a blast of muggy air ripe with musk and the tang of old blood assaulted me as I entered. I sensed Uzkielle long before I laid eyes on him. My presence cranked up the tension to the point the air crackled and nearly sparked when my eyes found him.

Whenever I enter a confined space alone with this predator, I like to think of myself as ballsy, but really, it's just plain ol' stupidity. And considering how often I get the two confused, I really should have my brain checked.

Uzkielle leaned against the far wall opposite of the door, his eyes closed as if he hadn't noticed my entrance at all and was merely resting. Bullshit. There was no mistaking the almost palpable tension in the room. Nor could this powerful animal hide the subtle cues my eyes have learned to detect.

When I was a kid, I remember going on a field trip to the zoo. I remember we were asked to draw and describe our favorite animals. And it's funny how those same adjectives I used to detail my assignment were the same ones I saw in my mates. While Osh'ikeille shared many characteristics of a leopard, he has more in common with a jaguar. And then there's Uzkielle, who embodies the heart of a lone wolf but shares his skin with a tiger.

The smooth power of his muscular arms sensed my eyes upon them and twitched. I smirked, and my eyes continued their journey over the solid wall of his chest to the junction of his bite inviting traps. And when Uzkielle's mismatched orbs finally slid open, it was indeed the tiger staring back at me.

I sucked in a breath. God if the tension-charged air were sexual we'd both be mauling each other right now. But this wasn't a cheesy romance novel like The Yautja Bodice Ripper, this was reality and in this reality, if someone looks at you the way Uzkielle was looking at me right now you run the fuck away. But I didn't. Aside from my pride putting on the brakes, I knew better than to turn my back on a predator.

Matching his stare, I eased myself into a confident stance with one hip cocked and my arms crossed over my chest. Sure, I couldn't run, but that didn't mean I'd put up with more of his caveman bullshit. And honestly, I was so exhausted I didn't have an ounce of fear to spare. And not sleeping gave me plenty of time to dwell on what transpired between us yesterday on the derelict ship and the day before in the kehrite, and I think I was finally starting to understand how Uzkielle ticks.

 _Today I will best you, Uzkielle. Today I will have my answer._

And I suddenly knew exactly what I had to do. Determination gave me renewed energy, not enough to ignore the exhaustion completely, but enough to get my feet moving. As I slowly shifted towards the weapons wall, I did so without completely turning away or dropping his gaze. Somewhere along the line, I've managed to turn the dangerous game of keeping eye contact without challenging Uzkielle into an art form. And knowing what I know now, it made the game kind of fun, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little thrill as his eyes narrowed or the way he unfurled those powerful arms of his.

 _Jesus fucking Cripes, Nina. When did you turn into such a masochist?!_

I grabbed the combistick from its mount, taking note of the way Uzkielle's upper mandibles flicked and the subtle swell of his chest as I did so. There really was something about this combistick and watching me use it that boosted his pride. Another mystery to unravel. And another question that would have to go unanswered. At least for now. Right now I had a much bigger puzzle to solve, and I only had one shot at it.

"Uzkielle," I spoke his name as if I were giving him an order and he reacted accordingly. His spine straightened, his lower mandibles flared slightly, and his body slid into a wider stance. Aggressive, yes, but there was no mistaking the excitement my voice elicited. I faced him fully, jaw tight and determined. "The bet is still in play."

His bark of dark laughter sent of shiver skittering up my spine and the unmistakable smirk on his face set my teeth on edge. Uzkielle really is a cocky son of a bitch.

 _Oh, but I've seen your weakness, love..._

A feral smirk curled my lips, giving him a glimpse of teeth. As predicted, Uzkielle instinctually growled a low warning, yet the eager way his muscles coiled beneath his taut skin and the animated way in which he watched me exposed Uzkielle's deep attraction to _my_ defiance. And I had to wonder if Uzkielle even realized he'd given me the tools I needed to beat him at his own game.

 _Doubt it. Uzkielle would never consciously reveal a weak point._

Impatient as always, Uzkielle charged first, rushing me with a frontal assault. I had half a second to wonder where his combistick was before realizing in stark horror that he planned to fight without a weapon. Or at least not a traditional one, after all, Uzkielle was pretty fucking lethal on his own. And you'd have to be a brain-dead moron to wanna bare-knuckle brawl with a Yautja.

Coming at me like this meant one thing, his strategy was to simply defeat me as quickly as possible, thereby eliminating any notion I ever had of besting him. And the shock of this hit me at the same moment he grabbed my combistick and threw me across the room.

Ignoring the shrieking state of my brain, I twisted my body mid-air and landed hard on my feet. The soles of my feet and my right palm burned as the momentum sent me sliding backward several more feet across the metal floor before stopping. Crouched, I breathed in adrenalized breaths and focused on Uzkielle through my hair. He seemed surprised that I'd countered his savage toss, and I bared my teeth at him. "You think you're the only one I train with?!" I spat hair from my mouth and readied myself. "You fight with brute strength Uzkielle, and Osh'ikeille has been teaching me how to counteract it."

The heavy hood of his brow lowered, his tusks making sharp clicks as his mandibles worked. Whatever I was gonna do, I better do it fast because the excitement of the game had worn off at the mention of his brother.

My right arm felt stiff, and it ached from the harsh landing. I purposely flexed my fingers, knowing he was watching my every move. He'd see the moment of weakness, and I wanted him too because it turns out Uzkielle's weakness was my weakness. _I_ was his weakness. And in a cheesy romance maybe that knowledge would be endearing to women suffering from the Megan Fox syndrome, but it just made me spitting mad. If Uzkielle only ever saw me as some pathetic creature to protect, he'd never be mine.

 _But that's not your only hangup is it, Uzkielle..._

"Well-," I stared at him dead in the eyes, and it made my heart flutter. "-come on, Uz-Kie-elle. Why the sudden hesitation? Afraid an _ooman_ might best you?!"

Oh, yeah, antagonizing Uzkielle was not a shining moment for me, but I wanted him angry. I needed him angry. And I got exactly what I wanted. Uzkielle snarled and came at me like death with wings. He was just so goddamn fast that it didn't matter that I saw the attack coming because there wasn't a single fucking thing I could do besides trust my instincts and hope like hell that I understood how he ticked.

My back hit the floor before I even felt my legs being swept out from under me. I gasped at the wrenching pain twisting my arm as it got caught behind me in the fall, and I didn't have to fake the cry that leaped from my throat as Uzkielle's massive hand pressed me even harder into the floor. Uzkielle immediately reacted to the sound like I knew he would and hesitated.

 _Now! Do it now!_

With gritted teeth, I yanked my arm free along with my blade and held its edge against Uzkielle's jugular. "That's game, Uzkielle," I breathed heavily. The words hissing through my clenched teeth.

Uzkielle's eyes darkened with fury, and he snarled, leaning his weight into the blade. Hands on either side of my head, he lowered himself over me, his dreads blocking out the view of the kehrite.

I bared my teeth right back at him, even as my heart beat loud enough for us both to hear. "You lost, Uzkielle! Stop trying to scare me into submission!"

His eyes narrowed dangerously, "'Ou tink a blade _will sss_ ave 'ou?!"

I swallowed hard, and his eyes tracked the movement. "Uzkielle, beating you wasn't part of the bet. I _know_ I can't beat you. Even with a blade at your throat, you could rip me apart before I ever drew blood. But _surprising_ you was the condition of the bet. And your reaction is proof that I did just that."

The reptilian throaty hum of his growl rattled my bones. Rather than moving off me, Uzkielle stayed on top of me. The roaring heat of his chest brushing mine. Good god, angry or not, I really _really_ wanted to feel more of him.

I licked my lips, and like before his eyes tracked the movement. "So you have to tell me wha-"

With a roar of rage, Uzkielle shook his head like a dog on the verge of an attack and ripped himself off me.

My rage flared hot at his dismissal. No fucking way was I letting him get away! Teeth clenched in determination, I balanced myself on my elbows, and didn't even blink when my eyes caught his. "Tell me, Uzkielle! Is it tru-"

Uzkielle snarled at me with hands fisted, and body wound tighter than a rattler rarin' to strike.

I rolled forward into a crouch and lowered my voice to a much more controlled octave. "Is it true, Uzkielle? Is what Gul'd- er, the BadBlood said true?! Did you declare me your mate?!"

His mismatched orbs blazed, I've never seen the wolf gold one shine so bright or the silver one shimmer like boiling mercury before. It was breathtaking and scary. Uzkielle snarled again and this time even went as far as to mock charge me, but when I gave no ground he stopped trying to scare me into silence.

He took a step and faced me fully, his stance towering and aggressive but not outright threatening anymore. It was difficult not to wilt under his penetrating stare, but I knew how to play this game now and got to my feet. Of course, he stood several heads higher than me, not much I could do about that, still, point to me for getting off the floor.

Uzkielle snorted, unimpressed.

My brows furrowed, "Uz-"

"Sei'i!" The single word was clipped and filled with enough animosity to inflate a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon.

 _So it is true..._

I opened my mouth to speak, but Uzkielle wasn't done.

" _Sss_ ire maTe _oo_ man female," he growled. And I could very clearly hear the hate in his words now as well as see it in the way his hands cut the air as he signed. The low growl emanating from his chest was predatory and terrifying. And I suddenly wanted nothing more than to look at the floor or at fluffy kittens or at anything happy because his eyes were scaring the crap outta me!

Then the meaning of his words sank in, and my eyes widened. Everything abruptly became crystal clear. Amongst the Yautja most of them thought of mating a human as a dishonorable act and that dishonor had trickled down from sire to offspring.

"But that happened long before you even met me..." Even to my ears, my words were hollow. I had no idea what to say.

"'Ou er _oo_ man, "he snarled. " _I_ Yautja-" He struck his chest with his fist."-'ou er p _rr_ ey!"

I flinched. I couldn't help it. His words sliced through me like a knife. "Then... then why did you claim me?" A thousand needle sharp tears stung the backs of my eyes, but I refused to blink and shed a single one.

Uzkielle's brow dipped, he'd heard the hurt in my voice and for some reason softened his. "T'protecT 'ou _ff_ rom clan."

"I never I asked you to do that!" I said using the flash of anger as a shield. My cheeks burning hot with emotion.

Uzkielle tilted his head making a low innocuous rumble. His body seemed to lean towards me as if he wanted to approach, but I didn't give him the chance. I threw the combistick on the floor and fled the kehrite. Screw pride, I couldn't stand to be in that room for another second.

 _Damn you, Uzkielle!_

I wanted to hate him, but the sad truth was this was all my fault. I deluded myself into thinking there was hope. Big mistake. I've always thought of hope as a paralyzing emotion, but love is far far worse. 'Cause loving someone means you willingly give them the power to destroy you... and _hope_ that they won't...

...

 _"Niiiinaaaa..."_

 _"... the world eater..."_

 _"... you must kill her..."_

 _"...Niiiinaaa..."_

Cotton. Everything is hazy in the gloom, and my brain swims in a sea of cotton. I blink a few times. Feel my body rise from the berth and stagger for the door. A bright light twinkles like starlight then is gone.

"Nina?"

I hesitate. My brother's sleep filled voice is muffled, but it... but it peels back a layer of the cottony veil.

 _Danny's room? Oh, right. I fell asleep in here after-_

 _"-no time! No time!"_

The cotton thickens. I must leave the room. I must leave the ship.

"Nina? Nina, where are you going?"

Protect Danny. Must keep him safe. Keep him from following.

I exit the room. Turn and touch the panel. I tell it to keep my brother safe, and I don't move again until the lock slides into place. The star shines brightly in my periphery then vanishes.

"Nina!" Danny bangs on the door. Baymax begins to bark. I flinch at the sound, but I do not stop. I can not stop.

I float through the corridors feeling oddly detached from reality. The star dances around my feet, but I do not deviate. I can not deviate.

 _Is this a dream? What's happening?_

My mind struggles to understand. Tries to swim and breach the surface of the cotton ocean, only there is no up or down and I am drowning.

I touch more panels. The symbols are in the Yautja dialect which is alien to me yet I intuitively know which ones to push. I open doors and walk through areas of the ship I seldom walk alone. I must get to the shuttle bay. It is the single most important thing to me. I must get there.

Once I arrive in the control room overlooking the shuttle bay, I cripple the system. I must keep them from following me. I exit the control room, lock the door and disable it. I climb down the tall steps into the bay and head straight for a drop pod. With its sleek rail spike dimensions and petal shaped boosters, the drop pod will get me to the surface faster than any shuttle.

The black capsule opens with a soft hiss and heavier gases pour out from within over my bare feet. I hesitate.

 _This is wrong..._

But the thought is fleeting, I must get to the surface of the planet.

I step inside the elongated capsule and reset the oxygen content. A red holographic imager winks into existence, and I type in the coordinates.

A loud _bang_ brings my head up. Uzkielle is in the control room. He throws himself bodily into the crystal partition separating the control room from the shuttle bay, and the resounding _bang_ sends a corresponding shudder through me.

"Zabin!" He roars.

 _Uzkielle..._

My breath gets caught in my throat. The cotton feeling spreads, and I try to fight it.

Uzkielle's roar is accompanied by another's.

 _Osh... Wha- what's going on?_

The capsule closes and seals, blocking my view of them.

"No, wait!" I scream. The suffocating effects of the cottony sensation shatters but it's too late. And from one moment to the next I feel the weightlessness of free fall and then the jolt of the pod's boosters as it hurtles me towards the planet's surface...

* * *

 **A/N: Bwahahaha! Okay, I agree this was a brutal cliffhanger, but I just couldn't take away from the suspense by adding more. Plus, if I added more, I wouldn't have been able to update this week. On that note, because of the busyness of the holidays, there will be NO UPDATE until the new year. Sorry, guys, I know it sucks, but I also need a break to keep from hitting the dreaded wall again with this story. Thanx for all the favs, follows, and reviews! And happy holidays :D**

 **First Dragon: Lmao, thanx! I had so much fun with the B-movie gag! XD And what a compliment! I was grinning like mad! Hehe, I'm betting you're not the only one with a one-track mind ;) Trust me, I can hardly wait either XD**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Nah, she didn't feel right taking the jewels. Glad you enjoyed it! :D**

 **angel897: Hopefully this chapter was thrilling to XD Thanx for the love!**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Eeee, I adore Inuyasha! And Sesshomaru is a hotty! XD More on the mass grave later ;) So I hope this chapter cleared up a little of the mystery into Uzkielle's behavior. He's got quite a chip on his shoulder. Haha, I couldn't agree more! Danny is a love!**

 **DeadlyNughtshade97: Oh, I think there's a definite haunting going on ;D Thanx for the love!**

 **Tenfangirl: Did this chapter help answer some of your question? Now that you know a bit about Uzkielle, I'm hoping his behavior's a bit more understandable. Thanx for the love, Tenfangirl!**

 **sousie: I bet you're thinking "poor Nina'' this chapter to XD Thanx, sousie!**

 **Kay: Awe, thanx! I love Inuyasha! And the opening and closing music are some of my absolute favorites! Lol, don't worries about the review. Precious understands. Precious figured you got busy with holiday madness ;) Haha did your PC also have a close encounter of the wall kind when it wouldn't boot? XD Oh, yes! So many secrets! The Bone Eater's Well, it calls to Nina and perhaps next chapter we will see what happened there ;) Breaking you say? Why, yeeees... it is coming... Chi'ytei ;)**

 **Anonymous review: I will ;)**

 **Atlafan1286: Thanx! Glad you enjoyed it! I know you hate the cliffhangers but this chapter was practically begging for it!**

 **saashi samy: Thanx! Glad you liked it :)**

 **Tigris16: Well, I'm happy you found it fun to read and find Danny hysterical too XD**

 **09sasha: Lol, hopefully, this chapter kind of cleared up Uz boneheaded behavior ;)**

 **Venom is my poison: Ouch! Well, I feel for both you and Nina then. But I'm happy you found it hysterical. I do so love Nina and Danny's combined comical relief. And oh, my god, how freaking funny would it be if she had a Kotodama no Nenju?! I'd love to see her use it on Uzkielle XD Thanx for the love!**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: My, my, my someone's intuition was right on the money ;D I guess we shall see what happens next in The Bone Eater's Well. Lol, Danny is such a love. Thanx so much for the love! :)**


	32. Chapter 32

**Here, There Be Dragons**

Crisp morning air greeted me as the drop pod's hatch opened with a low hiss from the pressure change. The first thing I noticed was that this planet's twin suns were barely up in the alabaster and pink streaked sky which explained why I suddenly couldn't catch my breath. The oxygen content of the planet's atmosphere was still to low. Thank my lucky stars the drop pod was equipped with an emergency mask and oxygen canister otherwise, this fucking fantastic adventure I was so sweetly asked to take part in would've ended before I got to thank my host for BRAIN-NAPPING ME!

My heated glare homed in on the accursed ship half buried in its grave of earth a few yards away. The wilds had taken root, covering the majority of the hull in thick vines armed with forearm length purplish barbs, and a silver moss that blanketed nearly every square inch of the rocky terrain it had wedged itself into. If not for the freakin' pluto-sized gun-metal grey thrusters jutting out from beneath the forest canopy, I doubt anyone would've ever found it. In fact, I was really starting to think we didn't just stumble upon this wreck outta pure dumb luck. Nope. That would be _way_ too coincidental. Besides someone had clearly highjacked my brain, so it was safe to assume no cosmic woo-woo had brought me back here. Moreover, my daddy taught me that fate or destiny or whatever is solely in our own hands. And I was living proof of that. I mean- _come on,_ I'm mated to the mutant lovechild of a Klingon and Cathulu! That crazy is all on me. But still, someone _chose_ to bring me here. Now the question was why the fuck did it have to be me?!

I clucked my tongue against the roof of my mouth in thought. Weighing my options. If they brain-napped me before, they could easily do it again. And of course, the bone-headed idea of entering a vessel that is _CLEARLY HAUNTED_ had absolutely nothing to do with me being hacked off with Uzkielle or having some miss guided point to prove. Nope. Couldn't be that. I just think sitting around and waiting to be rescued is a total cliche. Not to mention I'd be bored to tears in a matter of 2.5 seconds.

"Might as well get it over with," I said sullenly.

I took a peek at the blue suns and decided I should take the oxygen mask with me. It would probably be at least another hour before the air was breathable and didn't make me feel like I was climbing Everest. The canister was good for six, maybe more since I ain't-a big ass Yautja, so at least I wasn't in danger of suffocation. But the mask itself was way too big for my face, and my foot caught on the high lip of the drop pod as I fussed with it and sent me sprawling. Luckily, my knees and palms broke my fall. Rock bit into my skin, so yeah, it kinda fucking hurt, only _a lot_ , but at least it wasn't my face.

"Son of a bitch-" My feet slipped on the silver moss slick rocks, and I bit my tongue hard enough to taste blood. "-and all his fucking hoes!"

Teeth gritted, I tried very hard to ignore the rock scraping my skin or the slimy texture of the moss on my inner thighs. I sat up and quickly snatched the mask. As I took a breath, I also got a good look at myself.

"Oh, this shit just keeps getting better and better," I growled into the mask. In my retard version of _The Invasion of the Body Snatchers,_ I found myself clad in my zombie pinup girl sleep shirt, grey boy cut panty's and... and yeah, that pretty much covers it. Barely.

 _Peachy. No pants, no knife, no Yautja- oh, yeah, I foresee a swift and imminent death in my future!_

Sighing, I ignored the girlie side of me who wanted to freak out and cry in a dark corner because I was seriously done with crying. Besides, no one was around to hear me bitch, so what's the point?

Stumbling like a newborn calf, I got to my feet. I took a second to wipe the moss from my inner thighs but of course, only smeared it. _Whatever._ I started for the decrepit ship when a familiar warbly _peep, peep_ , caught my attention and brought me up short. I glanced back at the drop pod and blinked in surprise at the sight of Pichu bouncing up and down inside it.

"Pichu?" I crouched down and picked up the ball of bumblebee yellow fluff. "What're you doin' here?"

She bounced in my palms once with a chirp.

"Did you follow me?"

She chirped excitedly and bounced a few more times.

A fragment of memory worked its way loose, and I realized the starlight I kept seeing when I was all zombiefied had to have been Pichu. I smirked and scratched her belly. Pichu gave a warbly purr of bliss, and I giggled as I set her on my shoulder.

"Alright, Light of Earendil, looks like it's just you and me."

Pichu preened and chirped as if to say she was ready. Glad one of us was.

I smirked but instantly sobered as my eyes returned to the spacecraft now shrouded in pink mist. I took a steadying breath to calm my nerves. If they wanted to hurt me, they could've easily pit me against those I love back on the _Predator_ while I road in the backseat of my own head, but they hadn't. Still, we were about to enter the mass grave of an unknown species unarmed, on our own and one of us nearly buck-ass-neked!

 _Peachy-fucking-keen..._

 _..._

The reaper fields of bones stretched out before me, and I hesitated. The air had grown much colder, and even with Pichu's brilliant light, it did very little to shake the ominous dark clinging to the dead like a lover. I think I almost preferred it when I had the flashlight and could only see in one direction at a time. The halo effect of Pichu's light somehow made the darkness more intense, and there was a shifting to the shadows that seemed... unnatural.

The little critter nuzzled my neck with a tiny squeak of fright. "It's okay, Pichu," I soothed, running my fingers through her soft feathery hairs. "I'm scared too." It's strange. I was scared, but like the first time, I felt weirdly calm. Was this the result of all the training or was it because I've had more close encounters with death in the past half year than most people have in their entire lifetime? Either way, it filled me with a bit of pride, and I clung to that pride as if it were my daddy's hand. Uzkielle was wrong, I wasn't prey, not anymore.

Sensing my calm, Pichu chirred quietly and seemed to settle down. The halo grew a little brighter as she puffed up, her soft feathery hairs tickling my neck. I ran two fingers over her head in reassurance then carefully began to pick my way through the boneyard.

...

"This is it," I whispered to Pichu. The red dot on the holographic 3D map of the underground cavern pulsed then switched off as I lowered the wrist comp. "This is the spot where Osh found me."

Pichu chirped, her tiny feet pinching my skin as she shifted nervously.

"I dunno," I walked in a slow circle. "Wait for a sign I guess?"

Okay, no, I don't speak fluffball, but she had to be wondering the same thing I was.

 _What the hell am I sup-_

 _"Niiiinnnaaa..."_

I spun around as a breath of wind lifted my hair. That voice again. Soft, childlike, feminine, but much to lyrical to be human.

A shiver crawled over my skin as another cool breeze wrapped around me and tugged at my legs.

 _"This way..."_

Pichu shook too, the air wasn't quite frosty, but it was damn near close. I rubbed my arms and crossed them over my chest. "Y _eaaa_ h, I'm pretty sure following the disembodied voice falls under the category of 'Stranger Danger'..." I shrugged, "But what the hell right? Why not? What's the worst that can possibly happen? You know, aside from being brain-napped, walking around a mass grave full of dead Xenos, finding yourself alone on a planet in nothing but a shirt to cover your bits and no weapons- oh, yeah, nothing fucked up _ever_ happens to me..."

...

"Abandon all hope ye who enter here... it could be worse. At least there ain't a sign that reads here there be dragons."

After winding our way through Hades garden, we ended up in a small chamber carved out of the earth by flowing water. The whole underground cavern probably naturally formed this way long before my lifetime, but now all that remained were tiny pools and a trickling stream. And in the middle of one of those pools was a shrine or an altar of some kind with a sarcophagus on a tiny island in its center.

The shrine was breathtaking. Clinging to the walls were creatures who vaguely resembled sea anemones and gave off a bioluminescent light in a multitude of colors. The air down here was oddly cleaner too. I thought for sure the air would be thinner the deeper we wandered except I haven't had to use the oxygen mask once since entering the mass grave. And according to the SAT COM, we were roughly two kilometers underground. For once I did something smart and kept the SAT COM on, at least this way I made it easy for the boys to find me. I may have been _persuaded_ to cripple the ship's systems but I ain't some badass hacker or anything. Uzkielle probably had it fixed by now... hopefully.

Before I realized what was happening, my feet moved of their own volition, and I found myself stepping into the water. It was cold but not freezing. The bio-light produced by the creatures on the stone walls bounced off the water giving it an ethereal beauty. But I couldn't see the bottom, or my feet just beneath its glimmering surface, and a stray thought occurred to me as the ripples lapped at my ankles.

 _Maybe it isn't water at all..._

The sarcophagus was only a dozen feet away, its heavy stone lid adorned with gems reflected the light, and speckled my skin in a million tiny shards of color. For a single moment, I felt like a cheesy Disney princess and giggled.

I waded deeper into the pool of liquid color and blinked in surprise upon realizing that the lid hadn't been leaning against the sarcophagus when I first laid eyes on it... or had it? I could've sworn it wasn't sitting there a moment ago.

 _"Niiiinaaa... you must stop her..."_

I licked my lips, suddenly aware that I was now waist deep in the pool, but I kept going.

"She? She who?"

 _"... the world eater..."_

I rose out of the pool and stepped onto little island. "World eater?" I ask, brushing my fingers over the edge of the lid. My breath catches as I stare inside the sarcophagus. The bones of a single alien lay inside; her hands clasped together over her sternum; her wings folded beneath her, the feathers matted with dust but otherwise weirdly untouched by time. If not for the maroon and gold dust covered horns curling out from her skull, I'd say she almost appeared angelic. I also knew it was, in fact, a _she_ from the feel of her inside my head which was creepy as fuck. But it wasn't her eerily humanoid likeness or sharing my headspace with her that had me catching my breath, it was the strange crystal set into her wrist gauntlet. I dunno why but that stone just called to me like something outta the Marvel universe. It kinda looked like a huge diamond except I didn't think its color had a place in the human spectrum, maybe moon silver or something like that. But it shivers and feels oddly _alive_. "The world eater... You've said this to me before. What is it?"

 _"First, I must show you our sin..."_

I leaned forward, conscious I was doing it but unaware why until my fingers touch the crystal. The caverns vanish into a sea of colors I have no name for. Those colors quickly take on mass and shape, and I am on an entirely different planet. Before panic kicks in, a figure appears. She's short, no taller than Danny, with maroon and gold horns that curl forward and around a huge forehead. Her tawny brown and speckled white skin reminds me of a newborn fawn's coat, and her wings are the purest blue I've ever seen. But it is her eyes that appear the most alien, they're large, taking up most of her face and solid gold. Those eyes scared me more than I was willing to admit. For such a tiny thing, there was something about her more terrifying than a Yautja, and _that_ was saying something.

I've gotten so used to living with predators that I found myself bristling and preparing for a fight. But when all the alien did was simply stare up at me, I had to force myself to take a mental step back and remind myself that this alien wasn't a Yautja.

"So is this your planet," I asked, purposely looking away and focusing on the foreign world around me.

"It was," she says.

Her voice might've been cute if not for the painful way it hit my eardrums, though I didn't miss the hitch of sorrow in her tone. "Was?" I prompt. Her planet, though alien to me, resembled a magical world pulled right out of a unicorn's ass. There were floating mountains in an orange and pink-tinged sky and gazelle-like creatures taller than skyscrapers with leafy green fur on their backs and birds nesting in them as if they were living, moving forests. And for an instant, I thought maybe I died and my second life was in a Studio Ghibli movie before the alien spoke and broke the spell.

"It was... before _she_ ate it."

I really hated to ask, but of course, the words were outta my mouth before my intuition had a chance to scream- YOU REALLY DON'T WANNA KNOW THIS! "She? You keep calling this- whatever the world eater is she. What is she?"

"You must understand. I was born in a time when very different creatures ruled your planet. And like many others before us, we thought our boundless intelligence made us infallible. So we used our knowledge to manipulate life."

 _In other words, you thought it gave you the right to play god._ But I didn't say it out loud. No point. The way she looked at her world now said her people had already paid the ultimate price for their arrogance. An unsettling feeling crept up on me as I stared at her grief-stricken face and it formed a ball of iron in my gut. A question that has bothered me since I first stepped foot in that mass grave was beginning to mold a very ugly picture in my head.

 _Why were there so many dead Xenos?..._

"What did you do?" My brittle voice cut through the silence like broken glass.

She took my hand without looking at me her voice choked with emotion as she breathed, "I will show you..."

The world before me burned. The collective fear of millions suddenly speared my soul, and I staggered. Breathless. Tears stung my eyes, and I wanted to shut them all out as they screamed in terror. The once vibrant orange sky was now a decaying brown as the very atmosphere died. Then... I saw _her_. Like a Pheonix, she rises from the ashes; her carapace whiter than the purest snow is tinged pink from the blood of thousands, and her glorious crown is armed with sapphire horns that can tear open the sky itself.

The queen shrieks, the sound so horrifying it takes every ounce of control I have not to scream in terror or wet myself. She turns away from me, and the relief I feel is so immense that I fall to my knees. But it is short lived.

 _Wings..._

"No..." My breath gets lodged in my throat. Upon her back, the queen has three sets of wings made of a gauzy sapphire blue membrane. She is a Xenomorph Queen unlike any I've ever seen in the Yautja archives. She is a seraph; a dragon; a... a world eater...

I jerked my hand away from the alien girl beside me and turned on her with a fierce snarl. "Wings…? You birthed a Xenomorph with wings?! Those fuckers can survive the vacuum of space and you gave them wings?!"

"Now you understand our urgency... the world eater was asleep-" Her face twists in sudden rage and she grabs my hand again. "-but _they_ woke her up!"

The images behind my eyes change. We're back on the planet where my mates and I discovered the derelict vessel, but it is not _my_ Yautja that I see. These Yautja are different. They are as big as Uzkielle, but their heads have a bony ridgeline down the center, and the base tone of their skin is a deep mottled red. I sense a savagery about them that I can't explain, and it makes me uneasy. But it is the mark scared into their brows that leads me to believe they aren't from the same clan as Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle.

" _They_ freed her!"

Something about the alien girl's tone brought me back to when I was in the mass grave. When Osh found me, its like I couldn't recognize him at first and perceived him as a threat and almost managed to hurt him.

My anger shattered the magic or telepathic link connecting me to the alien girl, and I suddenly found myself back in the cave standing in front of the sarcophagus.

"You tried to kill my mate!"

 _"_ They _freed her!"_

"No. Those Yautja are from a different clan! My mate had nothing to do with releasing your world eater!"

 _"The world eater... yes... you must stop her..."_

My jaw was clenched so tight, I heard my teeth creek. I blatantly waved a hand at my state of undress and my lack of anything useful such as claws or a fucking weapon. "And how the fuck do you expect _me_ to do that?! I may be a southern hellcat but I ain't-a goddamn superhero! And a good ol' Lousiana tongue lashin' won't bring down that beast!"

 _"Nina... no one person can defeat this evil alone... but if we combine our strengths..."_

A bark of humorless laughter escaped me, "Seriously? No offense lady but you're dead."

 _"Take what is yours..."_

I gave the bones in the sarcophagus a dubious look. "Huh?"

 _"... the furere... it is yours... take it..."_

On a whole nother level of instinct, I couldn't explain, my eyes went to the crystal set into her gauntlet. I knew this was the _furere_. I also knew it belonged to me.

 _But that's ridiculous!_

"What is this?! Some kinda magic?!" I took a quick step back, wishing I had pockets to shove my hands into.

 _"Magic... yes, I suppose our advanced technology may appear as magic to your eyes.."_

I ignored the underhanded jab at my puny human brain not being able to understand their complex technology and leaned over the sarcophagus, unaware I'd closed the distance without thinking. I wasn't scared. Mostly just angry and confused.

Taking a deep breath, I decided not to think about how I sensed the crystal calling for me and how very CLAMP this all felt and for once just let go. I touched the crystal, and the world erupted in a violent electric storm. I shielded my eyes from the blinding flashes of lightning. The boom of thunder so loud it rattled my teeth. The zing of ozone on the back of my tongue. A torrential wind threatened to lift me off the ground until a ghostly hand grabbed mine from inside the crypt and suddenly the lightning was inside me, scoring my insides. A scream built in my throat but I had no breath to liberate it.

 _Oh... god..._

The pain was intense, beyond anything I've ever survived before. And I think for the first time in my life I found the thought of death freeing.

"P-pleas-"

The roaring of the vortex grew louder, swallowing my pathetic plea.

 _"You must destroy her, Nina! You must!"_

I couldn't form words much less catch a breath.

 _"Tsia will help you..."_

An image popped into my head. A familiar fuzzy creature my brother just happened upon.

 _...Pichu?_

 _"Tsia can track the queen, for she can sense the telepathic waves of the beast... Nina-"_

The world had grown dark, the pain muted by sweet oblivion.

 _"-Nina! You must not fail!"_

The roaring abruptly changed staccato, transforming into something more terrifying than any force of nature. It made my heart leap, and the skin at the nape of my neck tighten.

"Uz-"

My connection to the alien girl severed with a visceral snap and the backdraft of the electric storm tossed me like a rag doll. I expected to hit a stone wall only I collided with Uzkielle instead, and while his body is made up of living steel it had a little give, though, I still lost my breath in the bruising impact.

Uzkielle snarled. His muscular arms molding me to the thick wall of his chest. The adrenaline rush brought me back from the edge of unconsciousness, and blessedly the lightening inside me fizzled to tiny static zaps when I lost my connection to the alien being.

"Uzkielle-" My eyes locked with his blazing mismatched orbs behind his mask for half a second then the world began to collapse in around us. "-run!"

* * *

 **A/N: Aaaaahahahaha! That's right readers! I just went a little CLAMP, and a dash of Marvel on your butts! *Rubs hands together.* Now, wait till you see what else I have planned *insert evil grin here*! I'll admit I'm a tad nervous about this one. I'm both excited and scared to read the reactions. Hope everyone had a great holiday (for those of you who celebrate it, otherwise I hope you had a fantastic end of the year) and Happy New Year, everyone! I'm taking this story to whole new levels this year!**

 **First Dragon: Lmao, your salvation is here! And things in the "Heavyweight vs Zabin" are about to *coughcough* heat up *coughcough* ;) Your review was so sweet. I think I read it four times over the last three weeks, lol. Hope your holidays were fantastic! Happy New Year! Thanx for the love! XD**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Haha, sorry for the long cliffhanger. Hope you enjoyed the update XD And Happy New Year!**

 **Haylz93: I hope you're feeling better, Haylz. Yes, Uzkielle is such a butt. Always making things worse! Hehe but don't worry, I has plans for those two ;) And Nina's definitely waist deep in trouble now. I really hope you enjoyed the twist of this chapter. Happy New Year! And thanx for the love!**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: Did I surprise you this chapter? Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **Tigris 16: Awe, thanx! You're awesome too! Lol, I has plans for Uzkielle's moment of stupidity, and I think you'll quite like what happens ;) Haha XD Despite being royally pissed at Uzkielle, Nina's pretty stubborn. I don't think she's gonna let em go XD Lol, you make me laugh! I absolutely adore your reviews! Thanx for the love!**

 **sousie: Haha XD Right in the nuts! Oh man, that killed me! I was giggling like mad! Thanx for the love!**

 **angel897: Thanx, angel :D**

 **Tenfangirl: Happy New Year my friend! Lol, I bet you weren't expected what I did in this chapter either! And the surprises will continue in future chapters too ;D Aaah! I'm so excited about the turn of this story I can hardly wait to share it with you! Thanx for the love!**

 **KTCameleon: Haha, yeah, Uzkielle has made an ass of himself. Again. Hehe, I wonder how he'll fix it ;) Happy New Year! Thanx for the love!**

 **09sasha: Yup, Uzkielle, once again you put your big foot in it! Happy New Year! Hope your holidays rocked! And thanx for the love! XD**

 **Kay: A birthday present! Oh, I think I can swing something sweet for you my friend ;) It might happen closer to the end of January, but its coming ;D Precious is sorry you had to wait so long but the holiday madness is over, and I'm back! Hehe did precious shock you this chapter? Precious has many interesting plans for this story in the new year! Precious hopes it made a good albeit late Christmas gift ;) Happy New Year, Chi'ytei!**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: Lmao! *Pokes you with a stick as you twitch on the floor.* XD How very perceptive of you to realize if whatever took control of Nina was malicious it would've pit her against those she loves! Was it a shock to learn what it was? And what it wants of Nina? Haha, stop being so perceptive dammit! XD You figured out the combistick! We'll just keep that between us. I feel I must become much trixier with you ;) Ah! I can hardly wait to read your reaction! Thanx for the love! Happy New Year! BTW, I spied your review on Dances With Werewolves! It's so nice to have a kindred spirit! I'll try an update that soon too!**

 **Guest: Ah! You're pretty awesome too! Hope you enjoyed the update! Happy New Year! And thanx for the love!**

 **Atlafan1286: Haha, did I surprise you?! Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx for the love! Happy New Year!**

 **CaptainPorkChop: The dishonor that trickled down from Uzkielle's sire is why he hates humans so much. Nina saying "that it happened long before I came along" was her weak attempt to argue that he shouldn't blame her for what happened with his sire long before she came along. And whether he likes it or not, Nina is his mate. He tried to deny it. He went so far as to tell Nina he only claimed her to keep his clan away. Uzkielle does want her but he's blinded by the past and his anger towards his sire. And this fight pushed Nina over the edge which is why she left the kehrite. Hope this helped. Thanx for the love! Happy New Year!**

 **Vanilla Skittles: Hi, Vanille Skittles! Thank you so much for the compliment! It filled me with warm fuzzies! I try really hard not to humanize the brothers too much, it's difficult, but I prefer them primal. I had to humanize them a tad to get the story to work but I'm glad they still come across as very "Yautja". Thanx for the love! Hope your holidays were awesome! Happy New Year!**


	33. Chapter 33

**The Catalyst and the Undoing of a Predator**

We hit the ground hard, Uzkielle took the brunt of the fall and somehow managed not crush my much smaller body under his. With the way we landed, Uzkielle's face was buried in my chest, and I snaked my arms around his head and held him to me as the world continued to shudder and rock cascaded from the cave ceiling.

Even when the quaking ceased, I held Uzkielle to me for a long time. The dirt choked air filled my lungs, and I coughed several times but Uzkielle remained eerily still. Suddenly anxious, I gingerly peeled away and saw nothing but cloying darkness. Breath hissing through my teeth, I hesitantly removed my right arm from around Uzkielle's neck and the tangle of his dreads and tapped the sensitive screen of the bracer with my nose. The comps ominous crimson glow filled the tiny space and had a startling effecting on the silver moss causing the stones appear as though they were bleeding. _Shit._ We were entombed in solid rock. Buried alive without so much as a bottle of whiskey to take the edge off the panic. And somewhere along the way, I'd lost the oxygen mask and canister. How long did we have?

 _Dammit, where the fuck is my plot hole?! Seriously?! The_ Tomb Raider _gets plot holes big enough for a_ Jaws _to swim through and I get el zilcho?! That's seriously fucking rude, universe!_

"Uzkielle..." I breathed, gently probing him with my hands because he hadn't moved in some time and I was worried he might be injured.

A subtle growl rolled through his chest like an oncoming thunderstorm, and I froze. Heart thundering in my chest as the walls of steely muscle coiled and tightened around me.

My breath hitched, and my eyes darted over his tucked head, the dreads fanned over my chest, and along the powerful muscles of his shoulders and arched back. I stared at him. Worry forming a tight knot in my gut. What was wrong with him?

Sensing my eyes on him, Uzkielle slowly lifted his head. He was so close that my breath crashed against his biomask, fogging it. One wolf gold orb and the other the truest of silver ringed in fire from the comps crimson glow stared down at me, unreadable, and yet my heart jerked like a rabbit caught in a snare.

Damn his sharp senses! Uzkielle cocked his head at the sound, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. He knew he'd scared me, and I think... I think it annoyed him. Or was it the other way around? Hard to tell sometimes. Especially when he always went out of his way to be a prick. He sure as shit didn't give two fucks about demonstrating the laughable difference in our strength when we were in the kehrite. Which reminds me, I was still royally fucking cheesed at being referred to as prey.

Our gazes were locked, and while I knew that was a big no-no, I also couldn't tear my eyes away from his. He'd caught me, and he knew it. I swallowed hard at the scrape of grit against stone as Uzkielle uncoiled one arm and slowly brought it to his biomask. A weird flutter went through my stomach as he unhooked the hoses and then fanned his fingers over the mask. He paused to watch my face, and I stared with wrapped attention. With no hurried movements, he slipped the biomask off then paused. His eyes intent on me as he studied my reaction.

What did he think I was gonna do? Start screaming- "Ah, m-monster!" I'd seen him and his brother plenty of times without their biomasks and granted it was always startling, but I wasn't afraid.

Slightly annoyed by the unjust mistrust in my reaction, I blew a stream of air in his face. Uzkielle shook his head with a start, his eyes reflecting his surprise an instant before he lowered his head and growled at me.

My brows furrowed, "I'm not afraid of you, Uzkielle." Okay, it was a huge, whopping lie, but it's not like I was afraid he'd physically hurt me, Uzkielle was just plain fucking scary.

His focus sharpened and his eye tightened. Oh, yeah, he knew I was lying through my teeth. And in a deliberate, almost painfully slow manner he lowered his head towards my very unprotected belly. My zombie pinup girl shirt barely covered the essentials bits and wasn't much of a barrier between my soft stomach and his tusks.

 _Goddamnit! This isn't the time or the place for dominance games!_

But to be honest, I wasn't entirely sure this was a dominance game. Something about Uzkielle's behavior was off.

Uzkielle's dreads swished over my stomach like serpents as he leaned in. _Fuck what is he doing?! Is he purposely trying to prove he scares me or is this another stupid test?!_ If there was one thing I knew about predators, it was you never leave your soft underbelly exposed. If he were Osh, I'd be feeling something very different right now, but this was Uzkielle!

My eyes widened as his mandibles flicked and my breath got lodged in my throat as I felt the rough edge of his jaw brush my belly. The snared rabbit lurched in my chest, and I reacted on instinct. With a snarl, I took a swipe at his face like an angry cat at the same time kicking off from his chest in an attempt to put distance between us. To my fierce annoyance, I failed miserably and found myself pinned beneath him. He'd been ready. Yautja males were well versed in how to deal with dangerous females and how to subdue without hurting them. I've learned that the Yautja females are even bigger than the males and that they have no qualms about throwing their extra weight around. In a matriarchal society, the males learned to give females a wide berth. It was a behavior that carried over into the hunt. While some females of different species still qualified as worthy prey, most of the Yautja did not practice hunting them.

So again, while I knew Uzkielle wouldn't hurt me, he was doing a damn fine job of scaring the ever-loving-shit out of me. And I couldn't shake the thought that Uzkielle might be hunting me. "Uzkielle-" I gasped, unable to move."-I get that you're mad at me because I'm human! An-and I get that you hate humans because your sire mated one and his decision caused trouble for you in the clan-"

A soft innocuous rumble quieted my struggle. The vibrations soothing my aching muscles and calmed my galloping heart. I sucked in a breath. My wide eyes staring straight up at the cave ceiling. Uzkielle was... purring.

 _Oh. My. Gawd..._

The last and only other time Uzkielle has ever purred for me was right after the barn fire, and that felt like ages ago. The tension in my hands relaxed, and I stopped pushing against his broad chest and smoothed my palms over the hardness of his muscle. He tensed in response causing me to freeze. He shifted, the corded steel of his arms rippling as he lifted himself up enough to see my face.

His dreads slithered over my chest, caressing my shoulders and curtaining my head as he gazed down at me. My eyes searched his warily. And in an act of pure trust, Uzkielle dropped his eyes and submitted to me. ME! I was so flabbergasted I just stared like an idgit for several gut wrench moments until it finally dawned on me that Uzkielle was giving me the chance to do what he'd done and betray that trust.

 _Uzkielle..._

I had every right to lash out and scorn this double whopper of an olive branch he'd given me or...

Tentatively, I reached for him. His mandibles flared slightly at the movement, wary of my intent. I hesitated for just a moment then touched the clan mark above his brow. Smoothing my fingers over the scar, committing the feel of it to memory.

 _Mine._

The word was there on the tip of my tongue, but when my eyes went back to his, I didn't have to bother voicing it because I saw it reflecting in his. The fierceness of his gaze made me gasp, and I watched those mismatches irises ignite with something hungry and feral. I was prey on a whole different playing field now. And I knew for certain in that moment, Uzkielle's claim over me had been real. Uzkielle, despite how hard he fought to keep his distance, no matter how much he desired to hate me, his instinct to protect _his_ mate was stronger than the anger he carried towards his sire or humans. My zombie act and disappearance must've acted as a catalyst, breaking him, because Uzkielle was no longer running.

 _I see you, Uzkielle. You can't hide from me anymore..._

With a quiet reptilian growl, he held my eyes and with predatory slowness, he lowered his head towards my unprotected belly. My breath rasped out of me, but I dare not move.

My stomach muscles jumped at the feel of his sharp tusks brushing my cloth covered skin. I licked my lips, and his eyes hungrily tracked the movement. Without warning, he broke eye contact and pressed his face into my belly. I gasped, my hands going for his shoulders. He made a low possessive sound in the back of his throat and began rubbing his head all over my belly. Words failed me, and my breath escaped me in a tremulous moan. Uzkielle growled in earnest and took a deep inhale of my scent making me shiver. The predator laughed. He was enjoying the sounds tripping out of me. No doubt, thrilled that he was the one causing me to make said sounds.

 _Oh, fuck is this actually happening?!_

Not the ideal place, especially with rocks jammed against my ass cheeks, but then again- who the fuck cares?! I'd waited so long to break down Uzkielle's fucking walls, and I wasn't about to fuck it up-

The earth suddenly quaked and bucked. Uzkielle let out a feral snarl and collected me protectively beneath him as dirt and rock rained down all around us.

"Uzkielle!" I gasped, pushing against his chest. "Goddamit protect yourself!"

He growled, muscles encircling me like the coils of a python. The earth gave a final shuddering quake then fell silent. It took several persistent shoves to finally get him to unwind, but eventually, he slowly unfurled enough for me to breath normally.

Something warm dripped on my face, I touched it and phosphorescent green blood glowed ghoulishly in the harsh red light on my fingertips.

"You're bleeding!"

Uzkielle grunted but otherwise wasn't bothered by this information. Holding me to him, Uzkielle got up and set me on my feet. He checks our surroundings, and with an annoyed snort he pulls away from me and starts fiddling with his wrist comp. A red beam of light fans the walls and the comp beeps at him.

"So what now?"

Uzkielle faced me, I think to say something only his back straightens and he cocks head.

My brows furrow and I cross my arms over my chest suddenly self-conscious. "Uzkielle wha-"

He slips the mask on and the next thing I know he's got my face in his large hands. The visors in the mask's eye slits flash red then yellow and a strange sound curls in Uzkielle's throat.

"What is it?"

He ignores me and performs a full body scan on me, focusing on my left side. Abruptly, he grabs my left hand.

A flash of annoyance heats my voice, "Uzkielle what the f-" Then, I see it too. In the glare of the wrist comp's red glow, a shimmering catches my eye. It's the crystal. The one the dead alien girl wore and claimed it belonged to me. Her whole gauntlet had somehow ended up on my left arm, the crystal in the dead center of the backside of my hand.

 _"_ _Nina... no one person can defeat this evil alone... but if we combine our strengths..."_

I snatch my hand back, feeling weirdly protective of the gift. "It's fine." I clutch it to my chest and fight not to avert my eyes when Uzkielle growls and sweeps into my personal space. I know I have to tell him what happened in that shrine but I needed time to sort through it all. An alien race who were wiped out by their own creation wanted _me_ to hunt it down and destroy it. But by asking me to risk my own life, the alien had also been asking me to risk the lives of those I love. The Yautja ritualistically hunt Xenomorphs, but this queen- this dragon inspired monstrosity was beyond any they've hunted before. I gave myself a mental shake. No. I needed time to think. "We can worry about it later," I say, trying to convey calm when all I felt was erratic confusion and worry. "Right now I just wanna get outta here."

Uzkielle wasn't stupid. He ran his hand behind my neck and tilted my head up to study my face.

"Uzkielle, please, let's go home."

His tusks clicked in irritation, but he conceded to my wish with a tight dip of his head. His hand relinquished its hold on me, and I grabbed it before he could move away. Uzkielle's head snapped back to me with a curious chirr, eyes narrowed and slightly guarded.

I flashed my teeth, "By the way when we get outta here, we're finishing what you started."

Uzkielle's hand was a blur of movement, he yanked me to him, and I found myself plastered to his abdomen. I looked up, and his eyes where boiling behind the mask. "Sei'i..."

I shivered. All lingering doubts vanishing in the wake of that single word. The sinister darkness of his voice made all those sexy vampires you see in movies sound more like nervous, pimple faced, voice crackin' boys who couldn't believe the hot girl had asked them to the dance.

I grinned and, living a little dangerously, I idly traced the road atlas of scars covering his chest, pretending I had absolutely no idea what _that_ did to him. Uzkielle's chest swelled, and I chuckled despite my best effort not too. Uzkielle was one of those packages stamped with twenty different big fat red WARNING labels in five different languages that you just couldn't help but open.

"Okay," I pushed against his chest, but he wasn't bugging. "Seriously, now, how are we gettin' outta here?"

Uzkielle made an annoyed sound and huffed as he took a step away from me. He tapped the wrist comp and a 3D map appeared between us.

I walked past him, sensing his eyes on me as I stop in front of the wall of boulders, each one about the same size and density as Uzkielle's thick skull, and frowned.

 _I really should've paid more attention to all those survival shows Danny forced me to watch._

"... ina!"

My head jerked back.

 _The hell? Did the wall just-"_

"NINA!"

I half turned towards Uzkielle with a hiss, "You brought Danny down here?!"

Uzkielle merely snorted and came up alongside me, his hand ghosting over the boulders.

"NINA!" Danny's voice was muffled but he sounded close.

"WE'RE HERE, DANNY. NOW WOULD YOU STOP YELLING! YOU'RE GONNA BRING THE WHOLE DAMN PLACE DOWN!"

Uzkielle chuffed at us, and swear I felt his eyes roll.

"YOU'RE YELLING TOO!"

I sighed and glanced up at Uzkielle. "Can you get us outta here? Preferably before Danny comes up with any hairbrained ideas."

"I HEARD THAT! AND PAKKUN SAYS THE CEILING WILL HOLD OUT HERE!"

I glared at the wall of boulders then blinked up at Uzkielle. "The ceiling will hold? Wha-"

Uzkielle grabbed me around the middle.

"Uzkeille-" He wrapped his other arm under my legs and pressed me firmly to his chest. "-no! Wait! Don't you fucking dar-"

Too late. Uzkielle slammed his shoulder into the boulders with a deafening roar, and we burst through the other side in a shower of dirt and flying rock.

"Seriously- OW!" A rock dropped on the top of my forehead. I rubbed my aching cranium and glared up at Uzkielle. "Asshole! Do I look like a goddamn football?!"

Uzkielle's bark of laughter caught me off guard, but I recovered with a snap of annoyance.

"Put me down you asshole!"

Uzkielle's laughter deepened into an amused rumble, and instead of letting me go he shifted my weight in his arms and rubbed the underside of his jaw on the top of my head. The sudden affection startled me more than if he'd dropped me, and I remained in a state of total WHAT-THE-FUCK shock until another familiar rumble brought me back like a defibrillator.

Osh'ikeille appeared out of the smog of settling dirt. The lean muscle of his arms ticked when he saw Uzkielle holding me, but otherwise, he didn't react to the possessive way Uzkielle began to subtly growl. Osh'ikeille spared his brother a glance before flicking his gaze over me. He seemed satisfied that I wasn't hurt and kept his distance.

"NINA!" Danny shouted. The first thing I noticed was Pichu sitting on Danny's shoulder (I did wonder where that little bugger got off to.) as he ran out from behind Osh's legs with Baymax right on his heels.

 _No. Not, Pichu. Tsia._

"Lower the volume, Danny, I'm right h-"

"Where did you go?! Why did you leave?!"

I blinked in surprise. Danny was... was crying. I could see the glimmer of tears in the low light and hear the stark fear in his voice. Crap. How had my actions on the ship appeared to Danny? And just how badly had I scared him?

"Uzkielle," I touched his chest, "put me down."

Uzkielle's arms tightened with a low growl.

"Uzkielle, please." My eyes met his, and I inclined my head towards my baby brother. He eyed my brother then me and finally set me on my feet with an unhappy chirr.

The balls of my feet barely met stone floor before Danny's arms were encircling my waist and he hugged me to him so fiercely I thought I might've seen god for a moment as the oxygen was squished outta me. _Funny, I didn't know Benedict Cumberbatch was god?_ Danny rubbed his face in my chest and proceeded to use my grubby T-shirt like a kleenex as he sobbed.

"I'm okay, Danny." I rubbed soothing circles on his back and tucked my chin into his hair. The crystal in the alien girl's gauntlet caught the light, and I clutched my baby brother a little tighter as the image of a xeno queen the size of Smaug appeared in my mind's eye. "It's gonna be okay..."

...

"No," I exhaled a sigh-whine. We were back on the _Predator_ and instead of letting the Sandman sprinkle sand in my eyes -and by the way, that's a shitty way to put a child to sleep- I was being interrogated. I'd made the stupid decision to tell them what happened in the shrine. Not that telling them what happened is stupid but doing so before I've had at least twelves hours of sleep had been stupid. At this point, I was pretty damn sure I'd never see the inside of my eyelids again. "It looked more like this," I said, manipulating the holographic image Osh'ikeille had summoned up after I'd described Smaug's ugly stepsister to him.

After fiddling with the image, it came out more or less looking like the creature I saw with azure seraph wings and a snow white carapace.

"Whoa-Nina! It's kinda like the Blue-eyes White Dragon!" Danny shouted from right beside me. He hasn't budged an inch from my hip since our return, and while I found his clinginess kinda sweet, it was also disconcerting.

My lips pursed, and I tilted my head. "Well, I'll be damned. It kinda does look like ol' Blue-Eyes. Except without the eyes and a few more wings." But no matter how it appeared, the creature was still a xenomorph queen, and a xenomorph queens instinct will lead her to nest, feed, and multiply. Which was exactly why I knew I couldn't hide this from my mates, though, I really should've waited until after a long nap.

Osh'ikeille grunted to get my attention. His hands flashed through a series of hands signs I had a hard time following. Unlike Uzkielle, Osh didn't know English as well and preferred not to use it at all now that they were teaching us the Yautjas' version of sign language. However, his emotion also played into how he signed and right now things were tense, and he was unhappy with what he'd learned about the xeno queen, calling her an abomination, and that another Yautja clan woke her. His hands moved to fast, and I only caught a few words, but luckily Danny had a better grasp on Yautja sign than me and filled in the gaps when I took to long.

"Pakkun wants you to describe the other Yutcha clan mark."

I smirked at his mispronunciation then leaned over and waved a hand through the holographic image of the White Queen and dispersed the light. I took my finger and drew the symbol in the air, and the holographic imager picked up my movement and the symbol trailed after my finger like smoke.

The room erupted in snarls and Yautja chatter. Whatever the brothers were saying, they weren't happy. A perpetual growl emanated from both their chests and their mandibles were slightly flared as they conversed in the Yautja tongue.

"Do you know what they're saying, Danny?"

Danny's hand tightened around my fingers, his eyes ping-ponged between the brothers. He shook his head, "They talk to fast. I only got that it got something to do with a clan of BadBloods."

 _A_ clan _of BadBloods? Oh, joy..._

It was unnerving to think of a whole pack of dishonored Yautja working together, much less a pack armed with a xeno queen crowned as the World Eater. Moreover, it was unsettling to think what they might do with that kinda power.

My eyes unconsciously flicked to Pichu sitting on Danny's shoulder. The fluffball met my eyes with her pearly brights and blinked as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.

 _"... Tsia_ _can track the queen, for she can sense the telepathic waves of the beast..."_

"Danny... how did you come across Pichu?"

Danny blinked up at me, his face thoughtful. "I didn't. I found her following us."

So Danny hadn't actually found Pichu or Tsia or whatever, it was Pichu who found us first. None of this has been a coincidence. It has all been orchestrated by the dead alien girl, and _that_ was just Guillermo del Toro level of freaky. Unconsciously, I began to trace the circular face of the furere. _"... take what is yours..."_ I fisted my hand. Nonsense. I didn't believe in destiny, but I couldn't argue with how every fiber of my being was drawn to this crystal.

I sighed, exhaustion hit me with as much finesse as a freight train. A headache pulsed behind my eyes, jabbing my brain with every click and snarl that came from the brothers.

The lights of the ship dimmed, and for a second it threw me until I remembered it was designed to mimic the time of day it was on the Yautja homeworld.

"...guys?"

The brothers were either ignoring me or didn't hear me, and I chose to believe they weren't dumb enough to ignore me when I haven't slept properly for almost two days on top of my brain being highjacked and whatever the fuck the alien ghost girl had done to me.

"Hey! Lovecraftian rejects!"

In an utterly alien movement both their heads slid in my direction their eyes slitted in annoyance. Uzkielle's lower mandibles flared slightly, but surprisingly he didn't snarl back. Osh'ikeille's eyes flicked to his brother as if he were somewhat surprised by this too before giving me his full attention again. In the back of my mind, the part that wasn't already counting sheep, I registered the change in Uzkielle's behavior and even grasped the significance of it. He was giving me the same respect his brother gave me. The same respect he'd only show to a female Yautja. I briefly wondered how this would affect our day to day life but shooed the thought away. Uzkielle was still Uzkielle. Being his mate might change some of our dynamics, but I had no doubt he'd still be the same aggressive, arrogant asshole I both loved and loathed.

Tired or not, I straightened my spine a little bit and lifted my chin. "I'm going to bed." Osh'ikeille's mandibles parted as if he were about to speak, so I quickly plowed on. "I get we need to formulate a plan, and even warn your clan, but I won't be good to anyone dead on my feet." I lifted my arm and stared at the shivering crystal set in the ornate gauntlet. Its craftsmanship had an elvish flare to it, and the metal leaf-like swirls with their elaborate sigils crawled all the way up to my elbow. "I need time to think. I still have no idea what this thing-" I held up my arm and showed them the crystal on the back of my hand. "-is or what it does."

"Need t' _rrr_ un te _ss_ ts," Osh'ikeille groundout, his wolf gold irises were brighter than solar flares with anger. Luckily, it wasn't directed at me, but I think if that alien girl wasn't already dead, he'd rip her spine out for what she'd done.

I caught myself before saying tests would only reveal what I already knew. I felt... different. Not quite myself and I'd somehow been changed on a biological level. But voicing it would only get me sent to the medical bay for a round of tests, and the kind of poking and prodding that didn't make me moan or curl my toes. So it could wait until I wasn't dog tired. I dropped my arm and shook my head. "Tomorrow. You can run your tests tomorrow."

Before either of them could argue with me, I turned and gave them my back. At my dismissal they both growled, I glanced at them from over my shoulder and arched a brow, daring them to try something. They flared their mandibles at me but otherwise didn't challenge my decision or bold dismissal. A secretive smirk twitched my lips when I turned away from them. A girl could get used to this kinda power. I had to be careful how I used it though because it wouldn't always work this way and it definitely wouldn't work with any other Yautja aside from my mates but nevertheless... I kinda felt like a badass.

Danny grabbed my right hand in both of his and steered me towards his room as we left. I didn't argue. I honestly didn't care where I slept as long as I was unconscious.

...

The scent of my brother and Baymax enveloped me as I crawled onto the berth of furs. Danny snuggled in next to me, we were so tired that neither of us even bothered to change our clothes. I wrapped my baby brother in my arms and snuggled up behind him. He was the best damn teddy bear ever. I felt the berth dip as Baymax climbed up after us and laid his werewolf sized ass across my back. I smiled into Danny's hair and kissed the top of his head.

"Nina..."

"Hmmm?" I murmured, barely clinging to consciousness.

"Promise me you'll never do dat again..."

I force my eyes to open a crack, not that it mattered in the pitch dark room, but the fear in his voice pulled me back from sleep. I really scared him. Sighing, I nuzzled his neck and squeezed him a little tighter. "I promise..."

As I felt my mind and body sinking into blessed unconsciousness, I remember thinking I wouldn't be able to keep that promise because while the future is uncertain, I certainly wasn't gonna allow Smaug's ugly stepsister anywhere near my baby brother, even if it meant breaking every promise I ever made to him... even if it meant becoming something inhuman...

...

The skin at the nape of my neck prickled and the low-key swish of the door opening was something I sensed more than heard. My eyelids drifted open, and I waited patiently for Uzkielle to make the first move.

At some point in time Baymax had shifted to the other side of my brother, and when he lifted his big wolfy head from over my brother's shoulder, I could see Uzkielle's silhouette reflected in his lone ice blue orb.

Silent as Death himself, Uzkielle swept into the room and came up behind me. Misinterpreting the jolt of my heart for fear, Baymax's ears slid back, and he stared up at Uzkielle with his mouth slightly open. I touched the bottom of Baymax's open jaw, and the dog licked my palm. I patted his chest to silence the growl I felt stirring in his chest because the last thing I needed was for these two to start snarling at one another and wake up Danny. Baymax dropped Uzkielle's eyes with a huff and laid his head on Danny's shoulder.

I half rolled over and peered up at Uzkielle. Like other natural predators, a Yautjas' eyes reflect the low light in the darkness. And with Uzkielle's mismatched orbs, the effect was breathtaking and terrifying, and when he suddenly crouched behind me my heart thumped in an adrenalized rush.

Without stirring Danny, Uzkielle gently scooped me up into his arms. My heart gave another thump of excitement, and I curled into him, smoothing my hands over the hard wall of his chest. Loving the way I could make his heartbeat ramp up. Uzkielle touched his forehead to mine and growled playfully, forcing me to bite back a laugh or risk waking my brother as Uzkielle headed for the door. I breathed a happy sigh and rubbed my face against the solid warmth of his chest. And I smiled into his skin as I realized this was the second time in two days that I was being abducted...

* * *

 **A/N: Alright, lemme have it. "Dammit, Werewolfbleu how could you end it right there?!" "Because it's an awesome cliffhanger!" "Damn you, Werewolfbleu, and your insufferable cliffies!" Lol, love you guys! I'm sure most of you know what's coming next, so I will do my best to make it good! ;) Thanx so much for the love and support! Also, Luna Silvereyes and I are posting a collection of short stories together, featuring characters from both our Alien/Predator stories. The collection is called A Madness of Predators, however, the title may change in the next week but I did post it today! The first story features Luar'ka from Luna's story A New Hunt: Death and Rebirth!**

 **Tenfangirl: Hehe, I think I might've done it this time too XD**

 **CaptainPorkChop: Awe, shucks :D Thanx for the compliment! I kinda modeled the BadBlood clan after Berserker from Predators, but I also used some of the BadBloods I've seen in the comics. Very good catch my friend ;) Lol, I'm glad you liked the xeno queen I conjured up. I needed her to be something new and nasty while still remaining a xenomorph. As for Nina's gift, you'll have to wait and see ;D Oh, and you're welcome. I understand sometimes its hard to understand what I'm trying to convey without accidentally humanizing my Yautja to much. Thanx for the love!**

 **Tenjp: Thanx! Glad you liked the twist XD**

 **Puffgirl1952 the second: Actually, I purposely misspelled naked. When you say it with a southern twang it comes out as neked. Glad you enjoyed :)**

 **Guest 1: Aaawe! Thanx! I'd love it if they made my story a movie! XD Thanx so much for the love and the compliment!**

 **sousie: Hehe are you still mad at Uz now? ;) I don't know about Elfen Lied but I think she'll be a bit more badass! Thanx for the love!**

 **Atlafan1286: Thanx! I'm happy you like the new plot XD I hope you enjoyed the turn I took with Nina and Uz ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: I hope you enjoyed it :) Thanx for the love!**

 **Tigris16: Nina needed a leg up on the badassery scale, and I think I've given that to her ;) Hehe did you like what I did with Nina and Uz? I bet you can't wait for the next chapter now XD Thanx for the love!**

 **Alumys: Nah, I just really like the idea of winged aliens, however, I have started a collection of short stories one of which features Luar'ka. I posted it today! And Luna Silvereyes will be adding to that collection as well! Nina may not gain wings but the furere isn't done with Nina yet *hint hint wink wink* Thanx for the love!**

 **angel897: So happy you enjoyed it XD Thank you, angel!**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: Haha a hot sexy dragon alien actually sounds kinda awesome, but I think Nina's already up to her eyeballs in hunky alien testosterone XD Nina clearly doesn't believe in destiny but this new twist makes it hard for her to argue with it. Why Nina? Hmmm... I guess you'll have to find out ;D Thanx for the love!**

 **write more soon: I'll write more soon! :)**

 **Ash6751: Yes! Give me the cookie! Haha! The best way to my heart is with ooey gooey chocolate chip goodness XD I'm so happy you like where I'm going with this! I have so many plans, and I can't wait to post them! Thanx for the compliment and the love!**

 **oober: Ah, thanx! XD**

 **hellfire45: I can't wait to share with you what happens with that alien tech! XD thanx for the love!**

 **Kay: Precious loves to flirt with the dark side XD It's fun! And I think you'll like what I has planned next chapter ;) Precious will try her hardest not to disappoint! Precious might even wrap Uz in nothing but a blue birthday bow just for you ;D Haha actually he'd rip my spine out if I tried but its a nice mental image, lol. Thanx so much for love! Chi'ytei! :)**

 **Guest 2:** **Lol, I actually covered a bit of your question in this chapter and possibly a little bit in the next few chapters. But although female Yautja are bigger and stronger the males have to be more dominant during mating or risk getting ripped to shreds. In the original AvP novel Prey by Steve Perry. Mating is still enjoyable but much more dangerous for the males but you gotta remember the Yautja like danger. They like a challenge. Osh is still dominant with Nina during mating because it is instinctual but he's also learned Nina isn't as aggressive or dangerous during mating like Yautja females. So it's all about finding a balance for this mated pair. Also, keep in mind I've broken a few rules and bent some of the Yautja instinct to suit my story since Nina is human. Hope this helped. Thanx for reading.**

 **OptimusPrimeWife1: Lol, hope you enjoyed the update! I swear there's plenty "more" to come my friend ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Luna Lace: Lol, more on the crystal later ;) Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanx for the love!**


	34. Chapter 34

**End of the Rainbow Treasure**

We entered the Danger Zone, aka Uzkielle's quarters, the one area of the ship I've never been permitted to wander up until now, hence the nickname. Uzikeille never paused in stride, so I had to take everything in at a glance. Starlight was the only reprieve in the otherwise night drenched room, it glittered and danced across a table of tools, plates of armor, and gave the skulls and other trophies adorning the walls and ceiling an otherworldly glow.

Uzkielle gently deposited me on the warm berth. The mix of coarse and silken furs wrapped me in his scent, and I riggled myself deep into that warmth until I was drowning in it.

A low amused chirr brought my eyes up to Uzkielle, and my breath was stolen by the way the starlight, and the darkness hugged every dip and swell of the hard smoothness of his strength. Aside from the very Tarzan looking leather loincloth all Yautja males wore beneath their armor, Uzkielle was exposed to me, and my eyes hungrily devoured this predator's incredibly dominating and powerful form.

Uzkielle liked the feel of my eyes on him. The heavy machinery thrum of his deep laughter tickled me in places he hadn't even touched yet and elicited an adrenalized little jump of my heart.

The predator heard the sound. It excited him. And he slowly lowered himself into a crouch. My breath lodged in my throat. I played the part of perfect prey and readied myself to dart away. Of course, this only excited the predator more and he inched his way up onto the berth. The flutter of my heartbeat was like a thousand caged birds inside my chest. I remembered the moment I shared with Uzkielle in the shed and how he sometimes blurred the lines between the actual hunt and play. Like before he was displaying very predatory behavior but I didn't feel threatened. I felt feverish and _alive_.

Uzkielle stalked forward on all fours, and I pressed myself deeper into the sea of fur, hiding in it as if it were tall grass and he was the encroaching tiger. Uzkielle's body lowered, the bunching of his shoulder muscles was my only warning before his hand flashed out in a blur of movement and he grabbed my left ankle and dragged me beneath him. I squealed with alarm and excitement.

Thoroughly amused by the pitter-patter of my rabbiting heart, Uzkielle's dark laughter rolled throughout the room in warm dizzying waves.

"Asshole," I breathed. Feeling positively electrified, I decided to bait the beast and living a little dangerously, I rolled up onto my elbows and playfully nipped his jugular.

Uzkielle growled in earnest and had it not been for the tremor of pleasure that passed through him I might've worried about that growl. I leaned up again, Uzkielle's mandibles slightly twitched outward, but otherwise, he didn't move as I tasted his pulse. His growl deepened to an aroused rumble, and I quickly found myself pressed back into the berth, his hand flat on my chest and holding me still. Eyes wild with something akin to the hunt, Uzkielle lowered himself and rubbed the tusks of his mandibles down my right cheek.

"Yeyinde..." He rasps, the edge of hysteria in his growly voice makes me shudder, and my thighs clench. I remember the first time he called me "Brave One" and that was during our fight with the xeno queen, right after he pulled me from the Bronco and held me to him so fiercely. The memory brought a swell of emotion I hadn't expected. I've waited so long for this. So goddamn long that I could hardly fight the stupid girly desire to cry. Uzkielle was finally mine, and my blood sang as the ties of our mating bond strengthened.

The warm caress of his breath fans my stomach, and I'm suddenly to busy relearning how to breathe much less cry as Uzkielle rubs his face against my chest. One of his tusks gets caught in the fabric of my shirt, and he snarls in annoyance as he jerks his jaw up and glares at the zombie pinup girl.

Okay, the idea of having his claws render the shirt to scrap in his haste was admittedly sexy however I was quickly running outta clothes thanks to another Yautja's impatience to constantly get me naked! I released my death grip on his shoulders and went for the bottom of my shirt. I made no quick movements as I did so but Uzkielle still lifted his head and growled anyway. My fingers curled under the hem and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Slowly, I dragged the shirt up, watching the dilation of his pupils as I exposed my breasts. I took it a step further, arching my spine so as I yanked the shirt free my nipples teased the molten skin of his chest. And I suddenly found myself desperate for air as Uzkielle dropped his head to my chest and reveled in the feel of my flesh. His large hand went to my back, talons digging in as he supported my weight.

"Uzkielle..." My fingers sank into his dreads. "... mine..." And he growled possessively, echoing my passion.

He pushes me back down. His strong hands going to my hips as he rubs his face in my stomach and inhales my scent. The feel of those sharp tusks against my soft belly sends spirals of desire through me. He could so easily take my life with those things, and yet he used them to tease and caress. I sucked in a breath and nearly choked on it when his tongue snaked out from behind his mandibles for a taste. That wasn't even something Osh'ikeille had slowed down to do. Mating with Yautja females can be dangerous for the males so for a long time Osh'ikeille has treated me much the same way. But it seemed Uzkielle had already separated me from Yautja females in his mind and wanted to take his time.

"Oh- fuck!"

His tongue licks the underside of my left breast, brushing my aching peak in passing as he heads for the scars. He hesitates, tilting his head at my enthusiastic response. Curious, he dips his head and drags his tongue over my ribs to the curve of my hip. I shuddered, and he snarls as he inhales the spike in my arousal. Turned on by my reaction, he explores me more, experimenting as he goes along.

"Uzkielle," I groaned, my nails digging into the skin of his forearms. Uzkielle growled. He savored my response, craved it, and deliberately began to torture me by lathering my peaks with his hot tongue.

Unlike Osh'ikeille who was rough excitement and fucked me fast and long, Uzkielle was raw power and passion. Something I really had not expected. It was a deliciously slow, sweet possession that was very different from the terrifying predator I'd come to know, and it left me breathless and hungry.

Not even the flimsy cotton of my panties could hide how much this male turned me on. My thighs were already wet for him, and the ache between them was so hot I'd be throwing off actual sparks soon.

The warmth of his body shifts lower and for a split second, I fear he's about to leave me teetering on the edge. My eyes find his, and I gulp at the predatory way he's watching me. He nudges my thighs apart and hovers at the apex of my legs, his bright mismatched orbs devouring my reaction as I bite my lip and moan at just the heat of him pooling betwixt my legs.

One clawed hand grips my hip, holding me in place as the other cups my covered sex and teasingly drags one of those dangerous talons down my delicate softness. I sucked in a startled breath. Uzkielle wasn't a Yautja, but a demon disguised as one because only a demon could trick me into finding a Yautja's talons so erotic. It was amazing how such a lethal weapon could unsteady me and possess me to lift my hips in silent plea for more.

Low rumbles of pleasure reverberated in Uzkielle's chest. He lowered his head and inhaled my scent. His eyes intent on my face as his tusks rub up and down my inner thighs.

I shivered, "Uz-"

Uzkielle snarled to silence me. The hands on my hips suddenly gripped me so hard they were bruising. But instead of getting pissed, I found myself wanting to obey. This dominance game was one _really_ I wanted to lose.

With a satisfied chuff, Uzkielle lowered himself back between my legs and with another snarl tore the offending fabric separating him from the slick wetness of my desire.

I threw my head back and clutched at the fur-covered berth as if it were a fucking parachute. Uzkielle's snarly-bark brought my head back up with a start and when his smoldering gaze caught mine an electric spark zipped through me, wicked and hot, igniting my insides.

Uzkielle slowly lowered his head, his piercing gaze forcing mine to follow. His serpentine tongue flicked out and sensually swept the delicate folds of my aching womanhood. My lungs burned. I'd forgotten how to breathe.

"Uzkielle..." His name was a ghost upon my lips. I wanted to throw myself back into the fur and feel him explore me, but Uzkielle's steady growl held me in place more fiercely than iron chains. He wasn't done with me, and he wanted me to watch.

With my gaze fixed on him, Uzkielle shifted and freed one of his hands. My brows furrowed in confusion as he brought his hand to his face and then shocked me by piercing the tip of his thumb on his tusk.

 _What the hell?_

A pearl of phosphorescent green blood bloomed and shivered in the starlight streaming in from the large window dominating the entire left side of the room. My frown deepened.

 _What is he_ _plann-_

My initial confusion wore off as Uzkielle licked the small wound and coated his tongue with his blood. And the shallow rasp of my breath abruptly filled my ears.

 _Oooh, fuck..._

There was only one reason to give me blood and that was to boost the healing process. My heart gave an adrenalized thump of excitement mixed with a tiny dash of fear as I realized he was preparing my body for _what_ he intended to do to me.

Holding my gaze, Uzkielle rubbed the underside of his jaw down my left thigh until I felt the smooth curve of his tusks whisper sensually across the soft petals of my sex. My thighs quivered, and I was on the edge of losing my mind until finally, finally, his tongue darted out and fire-licked my clit. I hadn't anticipated this forbidden pleasure, and it stole my breath, along with my ability to form anything coherent. Fuck words! Who needed words when Uzkielle's devilish tongue could stroke a symphony of moans from me?!

"Fu- Uzkielle!"

Ripples of pleasure tangled my insides into knots as his tongue found its way into my pulsating core, tasting me. And my inner walls rejoiced and quivered with every ravenous sweep of his tongue.

Intoxicated by my throaty whines and breathy gasps, Uzkielle snarled, his grip bruising as his tongue went spelunking in my warm, dark haven. Delving so deeply, I convulsed and cried out in ecstasy. Uzkielle gorged himself on my essence. Branding my insides and leaving no part of me unmarked.

Once the predator was finished feasting upon me, and the universe stood still, I lay limp, my breaths coming in little gasps. My body tingled from the dizzying climax, and though I'd reached my glorious peak, Uzkielle hadn't, and my mate wasn't done with me yet.

Uzkielle crawled up and rubbed his face in my chest with a satisfied chirr. I tugged one of his dreads playfully to get his attention. He growled at me and eyed me with unsated hunger from beneath his heavy brow.

I smirked, "You-" I had to take a breath. "-are evil."

Uzkielle laughed, and the dark melodic sound made my toes curl. Lowering himself, Uzkielle rubbed his forehead against mine. An affectionate mock of the headbutt I'd once given him. I ran my fingers over the backs of his arms, palming his hard triceps and smirking as they swelled in my grip. He lowered himself more, his chest blanketing mine, teasing my nips, and I relished the feel of his exquisite hardness nudging my entrance.

The ache returned in full force, and I riggled beneath him. Shamelessly pressing my _very_ receptive body against his and keening softly. His lower mandibles flicked outward, watching me writhe beneath him as he thrust his throbbing masculinity back and forth, teasing, but not entering. Torturing me. It was to mean. I couldn't take it.

"Heaven's Spite..." I thrust my hips up, grinding my sex against his.

Uzkielle made a dull strangled roar, and I squeaked in shock at abruptly being flipped over. With one hand firmly gripping my hip, and the other tangled in my hair, Uzkielle pulled me flush against him, the heat of his cock scoring my spine. I licked my lips. Our combined breaths punctuating the silence.

My heart raced and cartwheeled at the feel of Uzkielle's low growl vibrating my ribs. The corrugated hardness of his abdomen bunched against my upper back as he brought his head down until the heat of his breath warmed the shell of my ear. "Yeyin Thwei..." he rasped.

He rubbed the underside of his jaw in my sweat dampened hair with a deep-throated chirr then gently but firmly forced me down until I was on all fours. The tip of his cock slid into my damp folds, and I dug my fingers into the pelts beneath me. Needy and impatient, I shifted my hips, encouraging him to bury himself inside me.

Uzkielle silently snarled as he entered with agonizing slowness so that I could feel every molten inch of him. He shifted and stretched one of his long legs out behind him to compensate for our height difference and it had the bonus effect of pushing him in to the hilt, filling me so completely I cried out when the tip of his cock caressed my cervix. He swelled inside of me. Raw pleasure and heat coursed through me, filling me so full, too full. No- more! I wanted more of him! A hunger like no other took hold of me, and I wanted _all_ of him.

Uzkielle leaned over me and rubbed his face into my back. His tusks tracing a sensual line over the individual vertebrae. I moaned and dropped my head as a deep shudder rolled through my body like a tidal wave. With a low rumble of satisfaction, Uzkielle grabbed both of my hips, drew himself completely out then impaled my overheated core with his throbbing erection.

I winced. Lost between pleasure and pain at the bruising intrusion. His blood tingled within me, nulling the pain, and helping me adjust to accommodate his size. Uzkielle paused sensing my moment of distress. He rumbled softly, his face rubbing my ribs. Even in the midst of his wild need, I felt a tenderness in his restraint, and it emboldened me.

I rolled my hips into him, gasping and walls clenching in delicious pleasure as his cock kissed my cervix for the second time.

The bite of his claws in my thighs had me sucking in a sharp breath, only for the brief sting to be swept away by the sudden sweet friction of his throbbing need driving into me over and over again.

I lost myself in the passion, crying out his name, and meeting his thrusts. Uzkielle roared, yanking me to him, and the world dissolved into sensations as his cock drove into me at an upward angle, each powerful thrust stroking the madness swelling deep inside me until my inner walls trembled and begged for release.

Uzkielle's hardness pulsed with excitement and his movements grew more frenzied bringing me to that final threshold of sensation and sending me spiraling over the edge with a dizzying explosion.

Uzkielle spasmed, caught in the wave of my glorious release. Losing himself, Uzkielle snarled, mandibles wrapping around my throat, teeth pressed into the back of my neck, restraining me as he buried himself deep inside and filled me with his hot seed. I dug my nails into his thighs and the heat of his breath fanned my neck as he growled, his body tense against mine. I remained perfectly still, taking pleasure in his instinctual reaction. Loving the thought that I drove him so crazy he forgot himself. Forgot that I was human.

When the erratic and wonderful torrents of sheer ecstasy dwindled to tingles, Uzkielle came back to himself and relinquished his hold on my throat. He licked the spot where his teeth had pressed into my skin, and I knew without looking I'd have a bruise there.

He rubbed the top of my head with a rumble of content then slowly lowered me into the welcoming fur of the berth. I laid on my side, sighing wistfully as I stretched out my legs. I closed my eyes, fully expecting him to leave. Males tended to do their business and then make tracks. Only mated pairs formed lasting bonds, but even then, the Yautja aren't exactly the cuddly type. Even Osh still tended to vanish after the monster tango from time to time which is why my skin jumped in startled alarm when Uzkielle rolled me onto my back and lowered himself between my legs.

I was confused and a little lost for words as he grabbed the underside of my left knee and lifted my leg. He growled, and my confusion intensified. This behavior was just strange.

I propped myself up on my elbows and realized at once what the problem was. Uzkielle had marked me in more ways than one. It sucks to say it but getting injured during sex kinda comes with the territory of mating a Yautja, and I've learned to deal with it. I couldn't be angry with my mates for not being able to always ignore thousands of years of instinct. Female Yautja weren't exactly delicate flowers in the sack. And sometimes when the passion is fierce and intense they forget I'm not a Yautja and those instincts kick in. Uzkielle restrained me with his mandibles as he climaxed because instinct told him to do that, but he wasn't so far gone that he bit into my neck the way he might've had I been a Yautja female.

Uzkielle cradled my inner thigh, licking the wounds his talons inflicted. I smiled. Unfazed by the little love scratches. I healed quite a bit faster than the average human now, and in a couple of days, the scars would drive him wild.

I laid back, listening to the low rumbles of content reverberating in his chest. My eyes drifted close only to abruptly blink open again as Uzkielle tangled an arm around my waist and rested his face in my belly as he stretched out on the berth between my legs.

I breathed a quiet laugh. Even though I sensed his possessive fondness for my belly stemmed from something instinctual, I found it oddly cute.

Uzkielle began to purr, and the soothing vibrations were better than any knockout drug, gently lulling me into unconsciousness. The stars outside sway and dance like lazy fireflies as it becomes harder to stay awake. I run my fingers through Uzkielle's dreads, smirking into the darkness as his purring deepens. Drunk on endorphins my brain is pretty much gone when my eyes slip close, but the smirk twitches into a smile as a final, silly image pops into my head. A naked Uzkielle tied to the berth and wrapped in a silk blue ribbon, just waiting for me to repay the torture in kind.

 _If only..._

 _..._

I don't know how long I waded in the warm blanket of oblivion, not long enough that's for damn sure when I felt Uzkielle's claws tease a path down the underside of my thighs. I'm instantly wide awake, not so much alert, but definitely wide awake.

Peering at me from over the tops of my breasts, my eyes find his instantly in the gloom, and I shiver at the hunger boiling within them. My body instantly responds to him, and I groan. The Predator's dark laughter fills my ears as he methodically starts the torture all over again...

* * *

 **A/N: I simply couldn't wait another day! Early update! And holy shih tzu, I can't believe I wrote that! o.0 *Blushes like mad.* Aside from the couple I've written in this story, I don't normally write sex scenes so I'm not sure how well I did, but I think I did alright. XD Thanx for all those favs, follows, and reviews! :)**

 **Sleepyhallow01: And I can't wait to share the future with you! :D Lol, I think Nina got plenty of alone time with Uz. XD Thanx for the love!**

 **write more soon: I will write more soon ;)**

 **Tigris16: Eeee! I'm so nervous to read your thoughts! I had so much fun writing this chapter! I just hope it was everything you were expecting! Thanx for the love, Tigris! Stay awesome! XD**

 **Alumys: Lol, well I hope you enjoyed it :) Thanx for the love!**

 **Rasha007: Lol, I know I've left you hanging more than once, so I hope this lemony goodness made up for it ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Guest: Haha XD I hope you enjoyed it! Thanx for the love!**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: We'll explore more about the crystal later :) Thanx for the review!**

 **Stunning Sunset: Lol, I hope it was good ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Tenfangirl: So my friend was this lemony goodness worth the wait? Gah! I hope I did alright! Thanx for the love and the wow XD**

 **Kay: Haha XD Did precious do good? Was the lemon cake wrapped in a silk blue bow worth the wait?! Eee, precious hopes she didn't disappoint, Kay! Lol, I did try to figure out a way to tie Uz up in a blue bow but nothing felt organic except putting the image in Nina's goofy head XD Happy Birthday Chi'ytei! :)**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Lol, yes, it was definitely time for Uz to come to his senses the tard. I'm glad his behavior manages to keep you on your toes ;) I think he would be pretty boring otherwise. I know some of those little conflicts are OC for Yautja but hopefully, it works. Thanx for the love my friend! :D**

 **Atlafan1286: Thanx! Happy you liked my twist! And thanx for the compliment and the love! :)**

 **sousie: Hehe, so do you forgive Uz? Was the lemony goodness worth the long wait and the frustration? XD Thanx for the love!**

 **Yautja Hobo: Eeee, hopefully, the payoff was worth the cliffy! Thanx for the love!**

 **angel897: I'd say she made quite a bit of progress with her stubborn mate this chapter! Thanx for the love! :)**

 **xHaRleyQuiNnSiRenx Awe, thanx for the compliment! And eeeee- yes! It finally happened! Lol, hope the lemony goodness was worth the wait ;)**

 **09sasha: Thanx! Lol, yeah, but I think Nina would be quite boring otherwise ;) Hope you enjoyed the chapter XD**

 **Venom is my poison: Lol, I'm a girl ;) Well, hopefully, this chapter resurrected you from the cliffhanger! ;) More on the gauntlet later. ;) Lol, I think it would be pretty hilarious if it made her all-powerful though XD Thanx so much for the love!**

 **OptimusPrimesWife1: Haha XD Well, I hope the lemony goodness was well worth the wait ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **aisaac5: Haha XD I adored your review! Thank you so much! I was grinning like an idiot! I worked really hard on that scene, so I hope lemony goodness was worth the wait :)**


	35. Chapter 35

**Moon Crystal Power Make Up!**

"Your nails are turning red!" Danny pointed at me, his mouth ajar and eyes accusing, "I knew you were a Mononoke! I jus' knew it!"

I blew a raspberry at him. We were in the Med Bay, a dull reddish tan room with zero chrome (I know! Huge let down!) and medical tools that somehow managed to look like something out of Star Trek and the Dark Ages, while I perched on a cold metal table that belonged in an autopsy room for dinosaurs (shudder). At least it lacked the typical evil lab equipment like a giant plasma globe, lightning rods, and bombshell blonds dressed in porn star labcoats with their cleavage spilling out, wearing magical glasses that manage to make them appear smart and not sleazy at all. Ha!

Danny slapped his open palms on my knees, looking up at me from my high seated position. Seriously, the damn table was so tall I'd casually used some random piece of equipment as a stepstool when Osh's back was turned, only to have Uzkielle walk in at that exact moment and laugh at me, the jerk. And here I thought after some good lovin' he'd be a teensy bit sweeter, but if anything the teasing only got worse. Granted, it was an affectionate play, but with Uzkielle the idea of _play_ had a tendency to be on the rough side. And mean. You know what, I take it back. He's still just an ass!

"And what's wit' your eye?" Danny stretched up on tiptoes and squinted at my left eye. "Is that a boogie?"

I yanked one of his dreads.

"Ow!"

"It's not a booger you boob! It's part of this thing!" I tapped on the furere for emphasis with a crimson nail, "A piece of it migrated to my eye last night while I was..." _Do not look at Uzkielle!_ "...sleeping." And during that time, when my brain was lost in La La Land after Uzkielle thoroughly wined and dined on and in me, my nails had darkened to a deep crimson maroon. The effect wasn't complete yet, the tips were still white but losing ground fast. Hard to tell at the moment, but it also appeared the shape of my nails was changing too. Yeesh, I really was turning into a Mononoke.

Danny grabbed my left wrist and brought the crystal within an inch of his eyeballs. "Hey!" He blurted and jerked his head up to stare at me, smiling in the most creepy way imaginable. "You know what it looks like?!"

I arched a brow and waited for his revelation.

He bounced on his toes, "It's like Sailor Moon's silver crystal! Does it do anything cool?!"

Aside from turning me into a freak show, the damn thing hasn't even shivered the way it did when I first laid eyes on it. I glanced at the furere then smirked at my brother. "Let's find out."

Danny took a step back, giddy excitement shining in his emerald green eyes when I suddenly threw up my left hand and shouted, "Moon Crystal Power Make Up!"

A second ticked by; then another. Nothing happened. Danny's brows lowered as he blinked in confusion. He glanced at me, and I shrugged, dropping my arm. Danny sighed, "Well that stinks." His eyes met mine, "Maybe you did it wrong?"

"Nah," I said on an exhale and ran a hand through my damp locks. "I just ain't that lucky. An alien race bestows a gift of power upon me, only to give me a dud. Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Uh- Nina?" Danny wasn't looking at me anymore. Frowning, I followed his line of sight and burst into a fit of giggles when I realized Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle were still in the room, and they were staring at me as if I'd completely fallen off my rocker. Danny erupted in a fit of full-blown belly laughs which only made me laugh harder until I thought I might pass out.

Uzkielle scoffed and threw his head back with a silent snarl. Osh'ikeille chuffed, but otherwise, ignored our weird behavior. Things were already tense this morning. I've gotten used to my mates being overprotective but after being brain-napped, well, let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if Osh decided to LoJack me. Still, I had to wonder if their overprotectiveness stemmed from being their lifemate, or was it because I was an ooman and therefore I would always be considered fragile, in other words, a _soft meat_ no matter how strong I became.

I blinked, and Osh'ikeille was in front of me. I watched his wolf gold orbs dart to Uzkielle who manifested behind me and rubbed his jaw against my hair. Osh'ikielle's lower mandibles spread causing my pulse to quicken. Oh, yeah, things were also tense because even after scrubbing my skin raw, twice, I still smelled of sex. And here I thought there was no downside to having heightened senses, boy howdy was I wrong. Worse, a Yautja's olfactory is a zillion times better than a human's, and since they don't have nostrils, they have a special organ in the roofs of their mouths and smell with their tongues the way snakes do. So it was pretty easy to understand why Osh was getting riled up.

On some random channel, probably _Animal Planet_ , I remember an episode about a pair of brother lions. In nature, a pride of lions has one dominant male, but on very rare occasions brother lions have been documented sharing a pride. Apart from the natural fights that broke out over dominance and mating, the male lions coexisted and fiercely protected the pride together. And while my mates are sentient and lions are not, they aren't human, and their behavior often brings me back to that random ass episode. _Gawd_ , I seriously had no fucking life before my mates came along. I swear one day I'm gonna write a Dummies guide for mating a Yautja and it'll only need to contain a single sentence- "Take a damn animal behavior class before you do the hunka chunka with a Yautja you idgit!"

Seriously, though, had these two very dominant males not been brothers, our unique polyandry mating bond would never work. Still, brother or not, Osh is every bit as territorial as Uzkielle, and Uzkielle was being an ass and baiting his brother. Okay, not that Osh didn't deserve a little payback from all the times he did the exact same thing to Uzkielle, but could Uzkielle seriously pick a worse time for this crap?!

Making no quick movements, I deliberately reached out and touched Osh'ikeille's chest. A deep shudder passed through him as he yanked his control back and slowly returned his attention to me. His wolf gold orbs were bright, and despite the shift in focus, the promise of violence lingered in them. "What did you find out?" I asked, my fingers tracing scars in the hopes of keeping him distracted.

Osh'ikeille blinked and refocused, the brilliance of his anger fading into understandable annoyance as his eyes regarded his brother once more before ignoring him. Osh glanced at my fingers playing connect the dots with the puncture scars on his left forearm, a rumble of approval in his chest as he pulled away to show me a holographic image of my skeletal system.

"Whoa," Danny breathed.

Whoa was right. Beneath the skin, the gauntlet had completely integrated itself with parts of my skeletal structure. Fusing with the bones in my left arm, the alien metal and tech also took up real estate on my shoulder, parts of my spine, and the base of my skull. Back in that shrine, on a visceral level, I couldn't explain, I sensed the furere somehow belonged to me. And yet even with the evidence staring me in the face, I refused to believe my destiny was outta my hands.

I breathed a heavy sigh and stared off into nothing. If I blinked my left eye slowly enough, I could feel the tiny stone hanging out in my iris. In a way, it did feel kinda like a glob of snot in my eye (Ick), thank you, Danny, for that. The stone was shaped oddly too, sorta like a slutty number four after it had a few too many drinks. It didn't inhibit my ability to see but as far as its purpose, well... yeah, who the fuck knows.

Osh'ikielle made an innocuous noise in the back of his throat, bringing my head outta the ether. His wolf gold orbs reflected his intelligence, scrutinizing my reaction. I guess silence was a bit outta character for me, something my mate picked up on even before I did. I smirked. There is no word for love in the Yautja dialect; they don't feel a romantic connection the way humans do, they're more primal than that. Nevertheless, no one could claim my mates weren't devoted to me or deny the passion, warmth, and even tenderness of our bond.

Maybe that's why I found myself falling silent instead of raising hell. Because part of me was afraid some cosmic woo-woo had intervened in my life, my _destiny_ , and if that was the case then...

 _Shut up, brain! Don't go down that road!_

Still, I couldn't help but wonder just how far back the alien ghost girl's influence reached.

I touched the warm skin of Osh'ikeille's neck, felt the solid strength of Uzkielle behind me, and took comfort in knowing that no matter how it happened, whether it was a happy accident or destiny that brought them into our lives, it didn't matter, because they were here, and what we had was real.

I ran my thumbnail along the pulse point in Osh's neck, smiling at the reptilian chirr curling in his throat and vibrating against my fingers. I straightened and leaned forward-

"Nina, this makes you the Terminator!"

I laughed and briefly rubbed my face in Osh's chest then turned to Danny. "The Terminator?" I breathed a laughed, "I thought I was a Mononoke?"

His lips duckbilled in thought, "Mmmm- you're both!"

I laughed once, then deadpanned my face and voice, "I'll be back."

Danny dissolved into a fit of giggles. I smirked and ran the backs of my fingers down his cheek. Danny grabbed my hand, "So when do I get one?!"

I rolled my eyes, "Cha, never."

"Aaaah, why don't I ever get anything cool?!"

"You want a hostile takeover of your entire body and then forcefully be changed into a Mononoke?"

He duckbilled his lips again for a split second then his face broke into a determined grin. "Yes!"

I shoved his forehead playfully, "Get outta here."

Danny giggled.

"So," I met Osh's eyes, "what other _cool_ things has the furere done to me..."

...

Dappled sunlight trickled down the scar-roughened skin of Uzkielle's back. A gentle wind combed through the vegetation growing over the hull of the ship sending those drops of light into a whimsical frenzy over the heavily muscled plains of his deliciously taut backside.

Mercy was I salivating?!

 _Getta grip, Neens!_

Awareness caused those muscles to ripple and tighten; his shoulders bunching as he tilted his head back and to the right to peer at me. The eyeholes in his mask weren't blacked out, and his keen silver orb saw right through me, saw the dirty images floating around in my subconscious, and brought them to the surface in a fierce wave of desire.

 _'My back collided with the window, its chilled surface bringing a moment of relief to my feverish skin as Uzkielle entered me fully and joined our bodies together for the third time. His talons bite the underside of my thighs as he pulls me to him, indulging himself in the age-old rhythm."_

I shuddered. The memory took me by surprise. It was like he was inside me all over again.

 _Jesus Cripes, Nina! I'm like a fucking bitch in heat!_

I swallowed. I hadn't actually thought about that. Going into heat, or rather an ovulation cycle, meant I spent anywhere from three to ten days in Osh'ikeille's umm... tender care. And guess what, a Yautja can taste the change in your hormones, so they _always_ know when females go into heat. Needless to say, before Uzkielle and I mated the smell used to drive him mad. Violently so. It got so bad at times he literally would avoid me at all costs, and I wouldn't see hide nor hair of him for days. But now that we were mated... seriously, was it possible to die from to much sex? Because between the two of them I was gonna be pounded into Nina-cakes!

Uzkielle's dark laughter lifted the little hairs at the nape of my neck. I glared at him. The bastard was toying with me.

I opened my mouth to ask how the fuck he was doing this to me when Osh'ikeille barked something at Uzkielle and Uzkielle went over to investigate. I tracked his movements. Uzkielle went and stood beside Osh who apparently found something of great interest beneath the thick foliage and the debris from a partially collapsed section of ceiling.

 _Right. Focus, Nina!_

We were back on the Red Queen's ship, combing through the wreckage for answers, or at least more clues about the furere and what it does besides turning me into some kinda weird cyborg.

 _A sexy cyborg!_

I smirked at my own ego. All this sex and attention from my mates was turning me into... Uzkielle (shudder). Anyway, I digress. I missed out on a lot of biology after dropping out of high school to raise Danny, but I remembered enough to know a humans DNA is made up of four base pairs, and I was sporting an extra two. And Osh couldn't determine their origin or makeup. So while it was a long shot, Osh was hunting for the Red Queen's DNA or at least the DNA of her kin to compare it to mine. Oh, and the Red Queen was the alien ghost girl. Shocker that she never felt inclined to give me a name, but she reminded me so much of that freaky little girl in _Resident Evil_ that I went ahead and dubbed her the Red Queen.

Osh'ikeille crouched, and my eyes followed the movement. Uzkielle dropped down beside his brother, and my sensitive ears picked up the low rumbly thrum of their voices. Not that I could understand what they were saying in the Yautja tongue but hearing them speak in those harsh, clipped tones had me beaming like an idiot.

 _Wow, seriously? What is this?! The sex-bends?! Sex-toxicity?!_

"Are you gonna barf?"

I stiffened and gave my brother a sidelong glance.

"Because you look like your gonna barf?"

"Quick-" I grabbed my brother's shoulders and bent my knees so we were almost nose to nose. "-Danny! Do I have floating hearts around my head?!"

Danny's eyes rounded comically, "Wah?" He actually glanced around my head although I suspected he was searching for the leak I'd sprung. "No-" He struggled. "-why are you being weird?"

"I'm not!" I released him and wiped imaginary sweat from my brow.

"You are so weird!"

I breathed a laugh, "The weirdness flows strongly through our family, Danny. Even in you."

"I'm not weird!"

"Said the boy with dreadlock that mimics a Yautja's and a yellow fuzzball riding on top of his head."

Pichu squeaked in protest.

"Yeah! What she said!"

I cocked a brow, Danny had just proven my point by agreeing with Pichu as if he understood her. And maybe he did, 'cause when it comes to animals, Danny has always had this uncanny ability to disarm even the foulest tempered critters. Hell, my mates were proof of that. My baby brother, the predator whisperer, go figure.

"So what's up, Soot Sprite?" Call it intuition, but I had a knack for sensing the tiniest shift in Danny's demeanor. Not like a tell because it was more subtle than that. I was just aware that he wanted to say something more.

He fidgeted and ran a hand over Baymax's shoulder. Now that's a tell.

"Come on. Out with it, Danny."

"Um..." His big emerald orbs met mine. "Do you think we can go to a snow planet next?"

My brows furrowed, "A snow planet?"

Danny rushed to continue, "Cuz we mis-"

The ear-splitting whine of metal grating against metal stole my attention. The brothers were clearing away beams of the hulls structural integrity that had crumbled during the impact of the crash.

"Nina..."

I blinked at my brother. "Sorry. What were you say-"

"Yeyin Thwei," Uzkielle barked.

For some reason, neither of my mates referred to me by my human name. Instead, Osh'ikeille called me Dtoudi Shur'ie, which literally means Little Storm, and after thoroughly consummating our mate bond, Uzkielle started calling me Yeyin Thwei. I liked it. And being called Brave Blood was a zillion and one times better than being called Zabin.

"Nina!"

"Wha-"

"You aren't listening to me!" Danny fumed. His brows furrowed, and his cheeks a little red.

"I'm sorry, hun. What were you saying about a snow planet?"

Danny opened his mouth, only Uzkielle's growling voice interrupted Danny as my impatient mate barked orders. Jeez, somethings never change.

I rolled my head towards Uzkielle, and glared pointedly, slowly arching a brow at him. Uzkielle glared right back then dismissed me with a chuff and toss of his head when I didn't break and come running.

I dismissed him with a snort and turned back to Danny. "I'm sorry, kiddo, but do you think we can talk about this later? It sounds like the twins may have found something."

Danny's brows slammed down, and he looked away from me with an unhappy scowl. "Whatever. It's no big deal."

It sure didn't sound like no big deal, but he'd already pulled away and started walking at a brisk pace before I could say anything. I struggled. Momentarily torn between following him or letting him cool off. _Why'd he get so mad?_ It was strange. In fact, it was really strange for Danny. The happy-go-lucky kid rarely walked around with a doom cloud hanging over him. Unless... unless somehow I'd royally fucked up and didn't know it!

 _Crap! What did I do?!_

I sighed. It was probably better to let him cool off first.

"Danny, don't wander outta sight okay? And be careful!" I hollered.

Danny waved a hand, not even bothering to turn and look at me as he and Baymax moved off to a different area. I chewed on my lower lip, my stomach unsettled, as I watched him a moment longer before finally venturing over to see what my mates had found.

...

There's a moment of overwhelming terror when you first notice your child, or in my case my little brother, was missing, and you don't sense them nearby. I was on my hands and knees in the damp earth attempting to get a peek inside a collapsed bulkhead when the sensation hit me. An otherworldly chill like Death reaching in my chest to crush my beating heart, swept through my being, and I sucked in a breath.

 _Danny!_

I was on my feet in an instant, accidentally bumping Osh in my haste. My mate clicked his tusks at me, but I had no time to worry about him when every single mama bear alarm bell blared simultaneously in my head. Then, Baymax started barking...

When it came to my brother, I'd walk into the fires of hell and bitch slap the devil. And with fleet-footed speed, I hadn't known I possessed I managed to keep pace with Osh and Uzkielle as we raced outside the vessel. The ground bit into the soles of my bare feet as I ran through the field of debris, and vegetation. My heart hammering so hard I knew both of my mates could hear my panic.

Baymax's barking grew louder and more vicious. Then I heard him yelp, and I think my heart actually stopped beating.

"Danny!"

Brilliant sunlight from the planets dual suns blinded me for a moment as I leaped through the wide fissure in the side of the hull. My mates ran passed me, unaffected by the startling light thanks to their masks. Both males roared in fury making my heart jump. I blinked away spots.

"Baymax!" The first thing I saw was Baymax, the big werewolf dog lay on his side, unmoving. His snow-white fur matted and wet with blood.

But where was Danny? He would never leave Baymax's side.

"Nina!" Danny's voice. But he sounded far away.

A great shadow fell over me. My head snapped up, and I felt Death's icy hand close around my heart.

Circling fifty feet above us, a gothic albeit smaller version of _Mothra,_ had my brother in its grip. It swooped down, and I hit the dirt as Uzkielle bodily threw himself at me. The current the winged creature created rocked us, and if I'd been standing, I would've easily been thrown off my feet.

Osh'ikeille snarled, and I frantically yanked the hair outta my face. Phosphorescent blood splashed his chest from two deep slash marks in his right bicep. He must've been trying to grab the creature but doing so without accidentally harming Danny would've been tricky which was probably how he ended up getting tagged.

"Nina!"

"Danny!"

The creature screeched and soared higher, arcing in the opposite direction and away from us.

"No!" I scrambled to my feet and raced blindly through the dense foliage. Thorns jabbed at my exposed flesh, but I didn't care. I had to-

A hand caught my waist and dragged me outta ShitThorn Forest. "No! No! No! Uz-"

Uzkielle snarled and pulled me against the solid wall of his chest and coiled his arms around me to still my struggle.

"It's got, Danny! It's got..."

I looked up, and the creature along with my baby brother was gone.

"...Danny!"

* * *

 **A/N: Hi, everyone! So here's what's gonna happen with updates. I'm about to be a mommy, so I'm about to be very busy! XD I've still got a bit of time, so I'm going do my best and continue to update regularly. Once the baby comes updates will be farther apart, but I will try my best not to neglect the story for too long. No promises, but I will try my hardest. Thanx for all the support my lovelies!**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Lol, I needed a shower after writing it XD**

 **Rasha007: Good! Happy you enjoyed it! Lol, not so cuddly outside the bedroom ;)**

 **ZelloZii: Awe, thanx for the compliment :) The brothers have a unique relationship, a lot of it stemming from their past which is why they're able to claim the same mate. I guess in a way it is brotherly love but not in the same sense as a human. Thanx for the love!**

 **First Dragon: Lol, the Ninth Circle *giggles* Glad the wait was worth it ;) I think the "prey-issue" isn't so much an issue anymore, but Uzielle is still a butt XD Thanx for the love!**

 **Tenfangirl: Lol, I'll add some more lemons later ;) Thanx for the love my friend! XD**

 **Third Destiny: Awe, thanx! You're awesome too! :)**

 **angel897: Lol, lucky girl indeed. *grins* I tried very hard to make the brothers different in every way. I guess I accomplished that XD Thanx for the love!**

 **HubrisBrutus: Lol, sorry about your breakfast, but I'm thrilled it surprised and delighted you ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Lol, yes they finally hooked up ;)**

 **Kay: Lol, yay! Precious did good XD Precious is pleased to pieces that you loved it! Eek! My poor spine! But it was totally worth it! Btw, not sure if you read my author note but since I'm going to be a mommy soon, I imagine my updates are gonna take a swan dive. But Precious will do her best to update when she can! ;) Chi'ytei!**

 **Tigris16: Awe, thanx! XD I'm pleased as punch I could surprise you ;) Thanx for the love! Stay sexy XD**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Haha thanx! I really took my time with this scene. I'm learning to be more patient when I write and go into more detail and I think it showed in this chapter. It's something I picked up from reading the way you write ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **write more soon: Awe! I got a smile XD I'll write more soon!**

 **TheArchersBow: Thank you so much! Even though Uzkielle can be a butt cheek, I really wanted to show his playfulness. Something he really only expresses to Nina. As for the twins mother, Nina isn't fond of her own mother so the topic has never come up but it might later on. Thanx for the love!**

 **sousie: XD Haha! Yes! I knew you'd love him again! Lol, no, I doubt Nina will ever get bored between the two ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Guest: Thanx! XD**

 **Atlanfan1286: Lol, you're welcome! So happy you liked it! Thanx for the love!**

 **Camui-Alexa: Wow! What a review! Okay, that's a lot of questions, so lemme go ahead and say some will be answered in future updates. But I will answer a couple now. Okay, I know I focused a lot on Nina and Uzkielle's relationship but that's because their relationship needed tons of work. Nina and Osh fell rather quickly for each other, so I wanted to differentiate the brothers' behavior. Don't worry, now that Uzkielle has finally claimed her, there will be more exploration of Osh's character. And, yes, you're close about the combistick ;) This is something I've already planned to write about. Now, on the note of Yautja anatomy. I guess there was no organic way for Nina to bring up their testicles. I've read they're internal and set under the penis but I don't recall reading it in anything canon. If you were referring to the Hish, I do not believe the Yautja switch genders. This is a canon I choose to ignore. Glad you're enjoying the story and thanx for the love! :)**

 **Ally: Lol *Scoops you up with a snow shovel* I saved you! XD Glad you found it hot! Thanx for the love!**

 **aisaac5: LMAO! Omg, I burst out laughing when I read your review! I then read it to my husband! XD Seriously, grinning from ear to ear! Thanx so much for the love! Eeee, I'm so thrilled you found it hot! XD**

 **guadadominguez4: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)**

 **OptimusPrimesWife1: Hehe, thanx! I rather enjoyed writing the lemon XD And thank you for the compliment! I has lots of interesting plans for this story ;D**

 **CieloDistante: No worries my friend! I know what a busy bee you are with school! ;) Twilight? *shudders* Lol, sorry, not much of a Twilight fan. XD I wanted the alien girl to be a little creepy, so I'm glad she came across that way. More on Pichu later. I don't wanna give too much away. And lmao, I love what you said about the cockroach. It was hilarious and so true! Those nasty critters don't need wings! The brothers' lives before Nina and Danny (as far as their offspring) is part of their history I haven't gotten to yet. Lol, I also haven't decided whether or not to talk about Nina's womanly issues such as her period. But I did talk a bit about when she's in heat! XD As far as her period and other things of that nature go, I may not write about those details at all, but if it naturally comes up then I will. Thank you so much for the review and the love my friend! :)**

 **Venom is my poison: Lol, I wanted to show a different side of Uz. One he reserves for Nina. I couldn't make him a butt cheek in every aspect ;) More on the gauntlet in the next few chapters. Glad you enjoyed! Thanx for the love! :D**


	36. Chapter 36

_**Part One**_

 **The Danny Episode**

"You're in big trouble!" Danny struggled. The boy kicked his legs, twisted his body, and wildly grabbed for the winged creature's feet where they gripped his backpack and shirt. He could feel the wind rush through the torn holes of his clothes and the sting of the slash marks across his ribs. Luckily, the winged creature's talons hadn't punctured his skin, merely grazed the boy as it found purchase in his gear. Still, Danny felt the dampness of his shirt spreading. It scared Danny. But the boy's southern temper was every bit as fiery as his sister's, and like his sister, Danny wouldn't go down without a fight.

Teeth gritted, the boy stared up at the oblong underbelly of the beast. In his mind, Danny thought the creature looked like a huge Venomoth, only way less cute than the actual Pokemon. This bug thing was ugly, with huge blackish blue translucent wings shaped like jagged snowflakes and its ribs were on the outside of its brown fury body. Danny couldn't see its face, but he figured it was probably just as ugly.

"My sister and my dads will come for me!" A flush of anger colored Danny's face. "They'll hunt you down and take your-"

The winged creature wailed, the sound so high pitched Danny was sure his teeth might break. Unable to help himself, Danny clapped his hands over his ears and screamed. The merciless, unholy cry ricochet inside his head. Inside his chest. Tears pricked his eyes, only to dry instantly in the relentless wind that whipped around him.

Danny opened his eyes and stared at the forest of curling vines zipping past. How far had the creature taken him? And where was it taking him? Danny had lost track of time, and distance from this height meant nothing to him. But he knew he'd gone much farther than they'd explored days before.

Danny glanced at his hands. And the backs of his eyes stung, the boy was crying for a different reason now. Baymax's blood crusted his skin, flaking off in the wind. His best friend was hurt, and Danny hadn't been able to do anything. Once again his small size made him feel powerless. If only he were as big as Lobomon, then he'd show this stupid creature who was boss. But he wasn't.

 _"... so what if you're a little short for you're age?! The world can only make you feel small if you let it, Danny!"_

Danny giggled. He couldn't help it. He could still remember his sister's fierce reaction the first time Chad Watkins had beat him up. After Danny had stopped her from rushing out of the house to put the fear of Nina, in Chad, she'd taken him to the kitchen and stitched up his lip.

Danny blinked away the tears. The thought of never seeing his sister again filled him with more terror than the thought of being dinner. He had to get away. Besides his sister would never survive without him. She was always getting into so much trouble. Really without him around she was doomed.

Summoning that Louisiana fighting spirit, Danny yanked the Xenomorph fang from the leather cord encircling his neck. It had been a gift from Lobomon, and he clutched it to his chest, waiting for the perfect moment to strike the way Pakkun had taught him. The thought of being brave and making them all proud gave him courage and mentally prepared him for what he was about to do.

Pichu popped out of the front of the boy's shirt with a warbly chirr of fright. Danny soothed his tiny friend, scratching the top of her head and whispering, "It'll be okay." Pichu chirped as Danny tugged the bottom of his bloody shirt up and wrapped Pichu tightly in it to keep his friend safe.

The landscape below his dangling feet grew denser, and Danny remembered all too well the huge purple thorns covering the vines. Danny swallowed hard, his imagination running wild with horrifying images of being skewered by those spikes. He tucked his feet up and curled into a tight ball, peeking out at the brambled woods his sister Nina had deemed ShitThorn Forest from over the tops of his knees and hoped the creature wouldn't accidentally drop him.

As the scenery continued to rush past, Danny tried very hard to occupy his mind by committing any odd landmarks to memory. A survival tactic Pakkun had been very persistent about teaching him. Danny absorbed the information like a sponge because more than anything in the universe he loved training with the twins. And on the days the twins managed to get Nina to train with them, well, Danny found those times extremely entertaining. Nina tended to whine a lot which annoyed Lobomon to no end. The two would bicker and squawk until finally Pakkun had to break it up or Nina ended it by muttering something under her breath.

 _Nina has to have some sorta Yachu mind power,_ Danny thought. He contemplated this for a while. Wondering how his sister could possibly boss a Yautja as big as Lobomon around when he suddenly noticed the forest below had given way to open water.

Danny uncurled his body and swallowed convulsively as fear cramped his stomach. He was still really high in the air, but he knew this was his only chance because the dry land was only a few beats away. Before he could lose his nerve, Danny stuck the fang between his knuckles then tightly wrapped the leather cord around his palm. He thought of Lobomon and Pakkun, the Yautja he secretly viewed of as his fathers. He thought of Baymax and how his closest friend needed him. But it was the thought of his sister and her fierceness that steadied his shaking hands and gave him the strength to lash out and drive the Xeno fang into one of the winged creature's large toes.

The backlash was immediate and violent. Startled the winged creature jerked up its legs and with a wailing cry tossed Danny and sent the boy hurtling towards the water.

Danny exhaled a choked scream as he fought to see through the blur of tears brought on by the stinging wind. The glassy blue water filled his vision and in a rush of adrenaline Danny managed to get his feet under him and point his toes like a diver half a second before the water punched him in the gut.

The momentum sucked him down deep into the warm waters. Danny blinked his eyes open surprised to find he could see the purple sand at the bottom and the surface several feet up. His lungs were already burning, and Danny kicked and clawed his way to the surface, fighting the drag of his backpack. He could take it off, but Danny didn't want to risk losing his gear.

He was almost there. The surface was just right there! One more kick. Two more kicks. His thighs ached, and his lungs hurt so bad he thought they might burst. He was close. He was-

Danny breached the surface and gulped down air between coughing and sputtering fits. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. Fighting dizziness, Danny floated, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Pichu," he croaked. As he bobbed in the water, kicking his feet to stay above the surface, Danny reached for the knot in the top of his shirt and quickly unwrapped it. His yellow fuzzy friend fought her way free before he was even finished unraveling the shredded material. Pichu broke the surface of the water with a pathetic sounding cry and seemed all too eager to get out of the water as Danny scooped her up and placed her on top of his head. Pichu collapsed into his hair and continued to make tiny little sad noises.

"It'll be okay, Pichu." Danny spun in the water and started swimming towards the shore. "It'll be okay."

Thankfully, the water was calm, making the already exhausted child's swim to shore easier. And when Danny's toes finally found traction in the sand the boy exhaled a tired sob. But when Danny was knee deep, a horrifying wail brought his head up, and when he saw the creature diving for him, Danny was forced to make a mad dash for ShitThorn Forest.

Danny didn't want to go back into that forest but what choice did he have?! He could hear the beat of the creature's wings. Feel the current it created stirring the hairs on the back of his neck.

The creature wailed, and Danny threw himself into the brambled vines with a shout. He landed on his chest and yanked Pichu under him as he tucked his head under his arms. The crack of splintering vines braking made him flinch, and the frustrated shriek of the creature caused his body to tense so tightly it hurt. Air and dirt whipped around him as the creature tore at the vines. But it couldn't get him. It couldn't get him! Danny lifted his head and peeked behind him. The forest was so dense that it's natural defenses made it impossible for the creature to enter. Danny couldn't believe it. He could practically hear his sister crowing, _"Ha! Told you so! Being small saved your ass, kiddo."_

Danny rolled over and scooted back. Tucking his knees to his chest, Danny watched as the ugly Venomoth, determined to get him, grabbed at the barbed vines with its clawed feet only to snatch them back with a fierce cry of pain as the thorns cut its flesh. The creature beat its wings, hovering just beyond the forests defenses. Danny got a good look at its thin face and scooted backward. It didn't have any eyes. At least none that Danny could see. There was a V-shaped slash for a mouth in the dead center but no eyes. But that didn't change the fact that Danny could feel the creature watching him. It wanted him. Wanted to _eat_ him.

Danny gulped and clutched Pichu to his chest.

The creature hovered for another second with several rapid beats of its wings then abruptly flew off. It's cry of fury over the loss of its meal echoing through the forest.

Danny exhaled a breath of relief and collapsed to the ground. Ignoring the itchy-sting of the claw marks, Danny rolled over on his side and just breathed. From lots of experience, Danny knew all too well how determined predators are and doubted this was the last they'd see of the ugly Venomoth. The dense forest with its natural defenses was his best chance, except Danny also couldn't forget the weird monkey-tadpole creatures that were _all teeth_ lived in this forest.

Groaning, the boy rubbed his tired face and closed his eyes. Pichu bounced on his temple unhappily, but Danny just didn't have the energy to argue right now. If they left the forest, they'd be caught out in the open by the ugly Venomoth thing, but if they stayed, there was an equally good chance they'd run into more teeth.

Danny curled his knees into his chest and secretly wished for his big sister...

...

 **Let's see how Nina is fairing.**

"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch!"

The blades of my wrist bracer made moving within the forest marginally easier as I hacked my way through the brambles. The vines were a different story; those suckers were thicker than Uzkielles head! And they were in my way! Hell-bent on blowing away the whole damn forest, I commandeered a burner, only to have it promptly taken away by Osh'ikeille. Dammit! Didn't he understand that Danny was in danger?!

 _And who's fault is that?! Fuck! Why did I leave him alone?! I should've kept him beside me the whole time! What if he's already de- No! Shut up! Don't think like that! He's fine. Danny's been taught by the best. He'll be fine. He'll escape- but then what if he does escape and we can't find him before nightfall?!_

"Fuck!"

Both of my mates stopped and twisted to look back at me.

Frustration heated my cheeks, and I stared passed them into the ominous thicket.

"When we catch up with that bitch-ass-Mothra-wannabe, I get to kill it!" I boiled past my mates, feeling the weight of their attention on me as I moved. "I'm gonna mount that things fucking skull in the headroom and make gumbo out of its innards!"

...

 **Well, enough of that. Back to Danny.**

Danny awoke slowly to the familiar tickle of Baymax sniffing the side of his face and head. In a sleep fog, Danny smiled and batted at his friend.

" _GahwayBaymax_ ," Danny mumbled.

The exploration of Danny's exposed ear continued, causing the boy to squirm. The dog's warm breath tickled his neck and Danny exhaled a small laugh and tried to hide his face.

As Danny attempted to ignore Baymax and go back to sleep, he became aware of something else. Pichu was squeaking. His little friend sounded anxious. But the exhausted child wanted nothing more than to ignore them both and go back to sleep. However, now that he was waking he felt strange. His bed of fur pelts was gritty and hard, and it made his skin itch like crazy.

Something else wasn't right. Why hadn't Baymax simply just pushed him out of bed the way he always did? And then why was Pichu still fussing? Danny finally started to wonder why his little friend was causing such a ruckus when the memories came trickling back. First the strange bird creature, then the fall into the water and... Baymax! Baymax wasn't with him. Baymax had been-

Danny's emerald eyes flew wide. The boy didn't move. He knew better than that. Danny kept his breaths even, but there was nothing he could do about the rapid thump of his heart.

Pichu appeared in front of his face, his little yellow friend tilted her head and gave him a quizzical chirp.

Slowly Danny slid his arms back, he could still feel the warm breath of the other animal against his ears and neck, so the boy carefully leaned up and lifted his head. And when he did, Danny came nose to muzzle with an unfamiliar creature, an unfamiliar _predator_ judging by the teeth. Its breath fanned his face and while the boy was scared he relaxed and remained calm.

Keeping his gaze downcast, Danny looked beyond the teeth. Below the muzzle in his face, Danny took note of a dense chest and forepaws, leading down to black leathery paws and claws that belonged to a dragon and not to the lion-esque animal sniffing his head. Its body was also similarly shaped to that of a lion with a large square head and a thick mane. But the ears were wrong, they looked more like big wolfy ears, and between the ears was a white horn that reminded Danny very much of a unicorn's horn in its shape and size. And then there were the twin tails flicking behind the animal, and if Danny skirted the cheekbones he could tell there were two sets of eyes on either side of its head. But what really captured Danny's attention was the predator's silken fur, the base coat was black with the most vibrant slashes of green cutting through the darkness. Danny had only ever seen such vivid shades of green when a Yautja bled. The boy found it beautiful and itched to touch it, but Danny had better sense than that.

While Danny had learned much from Lobomon and Pakkun in the way of predators, it was his father, his human father, that had taught him how to act around strange animals. Danny could still viscerally remember being three years old and their neighbor's nasty Rotty had run up on him. Even now, he could smell its rancid breath in his face as it growled and bared its teeth. Despite the terrifying ordeal, Danny had remained calm and given the dog no reason to attack. After a tense minute, the Rotty had sniffed Danny's face and licked its chops with a grunt before running out of the yard.

For a long stretch of time, Danny sat quietly, his eyes downcast as he patiently waited for the predator to make up its mind on whether or not he was a threat. Or worse, food. Danny imagined from the predator's point of view that he was a strange new creature. Danny didn't smell or look like anything this predator had ever seen before. So it was understandable why the predator had come to investigate. Danny was just glad it seemed more curious than hungry.

Danny's eyes followed the bolt-shaped green slashes of fur only for it to finally dawn on him that Pichu, though anxious, didn't seem afraid and had fallen quiet. Out of the corner of his eye, he peeked down at his little yellow friend who was staring at the predator in what Danny interpreted as annoyance. Which was evidence enough, at least to Danny, that he probably wasn't this creature's idea of dinner.

As if sensing the boy's thoughts, the predator sat back on its haunches and chuffed. Taking this as a good sign, Danny slowly did the same and sat back, his legs folded beneath him. Taking a breath, the boy then cautiously lifted his head and boldly met this new predator's eyes. The predator's ears flicked at this, but otherwise, the creature gave no outward sign that Danny's actions were threatening. Though, Danny surmised this was probably because he wasn't threatening. And Danny had been right. The predator did have two sets of eyes on either side of its square head, they were little more than slits in the sea of black fur, and only their stark shade of iridescent ice blue saved them from drowning in the sea of black fur. The color reminded Danny of Baymax's lone icy blue, except this predator's eyes had no pupils and glowed in a ghoulish way.

Danny's fingers curled into fists against his thighs. The fear had long faded into curiosity. This predator was special. In the way that made Lobomon, Pakkun, and Baymax special. Danny sensed this predator had a good soul and the perceptive boy already knew _his_ name.

A smile lifted the corners of his mouth, and with breathless awe, Danny spoke the predator's name. "Bagheera..."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry it took so long! Super busy prepping for baby! :) Also, I apologize for mistakes. I was in a rush to finish, and I'm not used to writing in the third person. Working on part two of The Danny Episode this weekend, and I'll post it when I can. I was gonna do the whole episode in one chapter, but I didn't want to leave you all hanging for another couple weeks, so I posted what I had ready ;) Happy Valentine's Day! Thanx for all those favs, follows, and reviews.**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Not the Queen ;)**

 **hellfire45: Thanx! XD Hope, you enjoyed part one of the Danny episode!**

 **angel897: Lol, young boys have a knack for finding trouble. ;D Thanx for the love!**

 **Tenfangirl: Awe, thank you! Hope, you enjoyed part one of the Danny episode :)**

 **write more soon: Lol, I will write more soon :)**

 **RocNRepublic: Awe, thank you! Lmao XD I had fun writing that slutty number four joke! I didn't want the stone in her eye to be a typical shape but I needed a way (the Nina way) to describe it. Thanx for the love :)**

 **Luna Lace: Lol, I know right! He took his sweet time! XD**

 **aisaac5: Awe, thanx :) I'm excited to become a mom. Once again you have me grinning from ear to ear. XD Being considered one of your favorite authors fills me with a ton of pride! Lol, be selfish! It helps light a fire under my butt and keeps me motivated! Thanx so much for the love! XD**

 **sousie: Haha, we'll see ;D He knows Nina's weakness now XD**

 **DystrVction: Thanx for all the reviews. I'll assume in your last review you're referring to the cliffy. Well, hopefully this fun chapter made up for it :)**

 **FFEShadowfoot: Awe, thanx! For the review and the congrats. Lol, "steam-rolled." That made me giggle. Hope you enjoyed the fun part one of the Danny episode XD**

 **Venom is my poison: LMAO, totally got the drift. Oh, yeah, I think she'll be getting plenty of that vitamin D! XD Lol, guess I'm just as bad! I think Nina will definitely go a little Louisiana whoop-ass on Mothra if she gets ahold of it XD**

 **CieloDistante: Nope. Just another hungry predator. And "You don't know what you have until you lose it" is exactly the kinda feels I was going for. Nina's always the one in trouble so I knew it would be a kick to the teeth if Danny was the one in trouble this time. As far as what they eat, I don't talk about it much but in ch. 30 Danny mentions drinking a fruity juice that he hated. I may not write much about it in the story but Nina and Danny eat what's provided. Yautja (depending on the canon you read) love meat but they also eat fruit as well. And for space travel, I would say they keep a lot of dried meat and fermented fruit in their reserve. Also, same applies to disease. Nina and Danny only go where her mates have deemed it safe. There are just things I don't bring up because I feel like I'd be going way too in-depth for this story. I may bring some of those issues up but I just haven't gotten the chance yet. So far I've only created one planet to show the readers so perhaps in the future I'll talk more about those kinds of dangers. I find polyandry relationships interesting too. It takes a huge leap of faith and unquestionable trust to make it work. Lol, I don't really have time to write anything else. Especially now that I'm gonna be a mom. I have written a few Naruto fics though. Granted a long time ago but one is still on the site. I've never finished it though. My real passion is the Predator and Aliens :) Thanx for the love!**

 **Guest: Lol, that's what I was going for. Right in the feels. ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Camui-Alexa: Lol, I was inspired by your PM and managed to get something out for Valentines Day ;) Thank you for the review! Did you like my little sneak peek at the furere's power? More on it later, I promise! Lol, everyone's got a favorite when it comes to the twins. There will be more Osh time as the story progresses. We talked about the Yautja anatomy through PM's so I won't retell it here, but I will say I think I might've come up with a way for Nina to talk about it later on. Also, I'm in my third trimester and almost done XD Thanks so much for the love!**

 **Guest 2: Thank you! I'll try my best not to leave the story suspended for too long! :)**

 **Atlanfan1286: Lol, she did indeed roast Mostra/Venomoth XD Thanks so much for the love!**

 **Kay: Lol, that's alright. Life is life. I get it :) Oh! I just didn't think to tell the readers up until I realized how much harder it was gonna be to update. I didn't want anyone to think I gave up on the story again once I slowed down. Cause I'm not! Precious has many plans. Lol, Precious will just have less time is all. Ah, thanx :) This is my first one and its a girl. Lol, I'm hoping to turn her into an uber nerd like me. Lmao, I tried so very hard to decorate her room with a cutsie twist on an AvP theme but my husband wouldn't let me. So I *ahem* may have bought a Xeno and Yautja plushie without him knowing XD Thank you so much for the support and the love, Kay! Stay awesome! Chi'ytei!**


	37. Chapter 37

_**Part Two**_

 **Danny, the Watcher, and the Guardian**

"Bagheera..." Danny breathed in awe.

The big feline yawned, displaying a full set of flesh rippers and a thick purple tongue. The feline wiped his face with a dragon's forepaw, unconcerned by the strange new creature watching him. This new creature smelled interesting but was unimpressive. A kit no less. What's more, this kit on two legs was under the Watcher's protection which made it, whatever _it_ was, off limits. Not prey. Not a challenger. Already bored, the feline stood and made a move to leave when the Watcher climbed atop the kit's head and gave the old Guardian a reason to stay.

Danny sat perfectly still as Pichu began to bounce and incessantly chirp at Bagheera. The boy didn't understand. His little yellow friend once again sounded anxious but not afraid.

Even though he didn't understand, the boy paid very close attention. He'd learned a lot about body language over the last several months. And it became abundantly clear that Pichu knew Bagheera. Otherwise, why else would this massive predator tolerate a bite-sized meal fussing at him? He wouldn't. If living around Lobomon, and Pakkun, and to be honest his sister too, had taught him anything, it was that predators don't suffer fools. They eat them. Or take their skulls. Or a combination of those two things.

Bagheera chuffed and rolled his head away as if he'd heard this strange argument before. Pichu grew more frantic as if afraid Bagheera might leave until finally, with a particularly loud chirp from Pichu, the big cat faced Danny fully and stepped into his personal space. Danny froze and held his breath, taken aback by Bagheera's size. He was taller than Baymax which put Danny at shoulder height to the big cat. Danny swallowed but refused to shrink away as Bagheera sniffed his face then lowered his massive head and took a deep inhale of Danny's bare chest. The big cat paused, his big wolfy ears twitching forward as he scented the boy's chest again. Danny ignored the flutter in his stomach, but as frightening as the moment was, the boy found himself wanting to touch Bagheera's big fluffy ears. He briefly wondered if those ears were as soft as they looked and almost lost the battle of wills to keep his hands at his sides when Bagheera took a step back and the weird tension evaporated.

Once again Bagheera chuffed and turned away. Danny wondered what to do. He didn't want Bagheera to leave, but he didn't want to annoy the big cat by following him either. The boy needn't worry. After taking half a dozen steps, Bagheera halted and glanced at the boy from over his shoulder. Danny smiled, shouldered his soggy backpack, and caught up to the big cat.

At Bagheera's side, Danny hesitated, but when the big cat's ribs brushed his shoulder, the boy tentatively wove his fingers into the fur of Bagheera's chest and allowed himself to be led through ShitThorn Forest.

...

"... you'd like our family..."

The old Guardian expelled a heavy sigh through his nose. Aside from the Watcher, he'd never known a creature who could yap so much. It didn't help that after the war and the death of his mistress and her kin, the Guardian had spent centuries alone. It made him a little strange and more than a bit cantankerous. But now he no longer had to be alone, not with the news the Watcher brought him. A new Keeper had been found, and though it was faint, he could smell _her_ on the kit. The Keeper. The one who bore the furere. His mistress.

"My sister's a bit bossy and really weird, but she's the best, and even cool- er, sometimes. Oh!" Danny hastened his steps to keep up with Bagheera's long strides. "And then there's my dads! Aldough, I don't call 'em that. My sister says even though we're a family, Lobomon and Pakkun wouldn't understand cuz the Yachu are more the hit it and quit it types... whatever that means." he said with a shrug. "Oh! And then, and then, there's Baymax!" At this Danny suddenly faltered in step, forcing the big cat to stop and stare at him. "Baymax... didn't look so good when I las saw him..."

Scenting the kit's distress, the Guardian grunted and circled him. At this, the kit stiffened somewhat, and the old Guardian could smell his exhaustion and anxiety. He touched his nose to the kit's temple, and the kit sagged so hard in relief he nearly crumpled to the ground. The Guardian huffed. This would not do. At this rate, they would not make it to his mistress before the light faded. He couldn't leave the kit behind, for he belonged to the Keeper, which left the Guardian with only one option.

Bagheera nudged the backs of Danny's legs and the worn-out child was so out of it, the unexpected bump sent him staggering, and Danny would've kissed the earth had Bagheera not caught the child's backpack in his jaws.

"Thanks," Danny mumbled, legs wobbling somewhat as he found his balance. The big cat made a noise like a breathy grunt. Curious, the boy turned and blinked in confusion as Bagheera lowered the front half of his body to the ground. Danny didn't understand. When Bayamx lowered himself this way it meant to play, but this didn't feel like play. Bagheera made an impatient noise, his lip slightly curled. Still unsure what to do, Danny came up beside Bagheera and stopped. Luckily, Pichu seemed to understand. His yellow friend hopped down from her perch on his head and landed on Bagheera's shoulder. She turned her big pearly orbs on the boy and chirped. Danny bit his lip, hesitating, only until Bagheera growled impatiently. Nervous but excited, Danny climbed onto Bagheera's back, sinking his fingers into the big cat's mane, and holding on tight as Bagheera stood.

 _So cooool!_ Danny inwardly giggled.

Bagheera quickly began to climb and scale the vines with practiced ease. Danny flattened himself, worried the forearm length thorns might cut him, but they never did, and eventually, the graceful lope of Bagheera's stride lulled him to sleep.

...

Bagheera... The Guardian had grown used to receiving names. He'd been called many over his long life, though traditionally it was bestowed upon him by the Keeper, not by their kits. Or at least he presumed this was his mistress's kit. Scent doesn't lie. Those who share lineage tend to share certain scent markers too. Even after falling into the river the scent of the kit's pride was strong. Live around someone long enough, and their scent becomes engrained in your pores, and it would take more than a quick dip to rid yourself of it. And under the various odors of the pride, the Guardian could smell his mistress who's scent shared qualities with this kit.

Bagheera... Still, it had been a long time since anyone had called him anything at all, and he decided he rather liked the name. If his mistress chose to call him something else, he would readily accept, but for now, Bagheera would do.

The kit suddenly tightened his grip, yanking Bagheera's mane. The big cat growled, but not loud enough to rouse the sleeping kit as he stopped and glanced at him. The youngster sprawled upon his back mumbled and tensed. Bagheera leaned in close and sniffed. The wounds across the kit's ribs weren't bleeding, but Bagheera wondered if they were the cause of the kit's incessant twitching.

Perched on the kit's head, the Watcher beseeched the old Guardian with pitiful chirps. Bagheera opened his mouth in a silent snarl and turned away. He didn't want to stop, but even he had to concede that the kit needed proper rest. The light was failing them, and aside from the plant life on this planet, every other living thing knew to take to the caves or risk death from the oxygen plunge the night brought with it.

Sighing, the old Guardian altered course and headed for one of his many dens spread throughout his territory. The darkness did not linger on this planet for long. And after a short rest, they could resume their journey. However as Bagheera continued his treck over vines and under thorns, he became increasingly aware of the growing stillness of the forest. His lips curled up over his teeth at the silence. They were being hunted...

...

 **A rare glimpse into the mind of Osh'ikeille**

Fury. It boiled off his Dtoudi Shur'ie's skin, spicing the air, and making her scent sharp. His own blood sang in response. If he'd been a young blood, the potent cocktail would've sent him into a blood rage. Although when it came to his mate, it only made her all the more irresistible to him.

Osh'ikeille glanced at his mei'hswei, knowing full well that he wasn't the only one drawn into the storm that was their mate. Unlike Osh'ikeille, Uzkielle was dangerously impulsive and easily influenced by their mate's passion. Uzkielle followed closely behind Dtoudi Shur'ie, but to his credit, he appeared to be in control. Another side effect of their mate's presence.

Sensing his eyes on him, Uzkielle tilted his head to look at Osh'ikeille. Osh'ikeille gave the other hunter a curt nod then turned his attention back to their little ooman huntress. Her shoulders pinched in response, the only outward sign that she felt him observing her.

His keen eyes followed her movements. Silently marveling at how far she's come since first they met. Calmer now, her muscles slid and swelled with graceful fluidity beneath her skin. She'd gained quite a bit of muscle mass, though, still a tiny thing in his eyes however he wouldn't allow her size to fool him ever again. And despite how much she fought his training, she'd picked up on it very well, and he wondered if she was even aware of the way she carried herself. Lithe. Powerful. Dangerous. A hunter. And when it came to her kin, and her own, her determination made her a force to be reckoned with.

Osh'ikeille's eyes went to the furere on her wrist, and he bit back a growl. Whatever that thing was it had done something to his mate. True it had made her stronger, but he didn't like the way it had altered her biology, her chemistry, which also caused a subtle change in her scent. He wished to study it, but any attempt to remove the device would cause serious harm to his mate.

The hunter inwardly snarled and forced his wandering eyes away. In truth, Uzkielle wasn't the only one easily distracted by their mate, not that he would ever admit to it, though, it was difficult to keep a placid disposition, much less focus when his mate was going into estrus and every breath into his lungs was saturated with her pheromones. Paya save him.

Sighing, Osh'ikeille tempered his male urges and refocused. One of their own had been taken and that didn't sit well with Osh'ikeille. Osh'ikeille remembered losing kin to the hunt, especially when he himself was a young blood. You couldn't intervene, not that he'd had the conscious of mind to do so. In those days, he'd been controlled by the blood rage just like any young blood making them dangerously unpredictable, foolhardy, and cocksure. If your kin fell or was taken, you might've felt the pang of loss, but it only fueled the madness.

This was different. And if he were honest with himself, Osh'ikeille wasn't sure how he felt. In his long life, Osh'ikeille had sired many offspring, but aside from taking pride in the formidable hunters they would become, he never felt inclined to rear them. It wasn't normal for males to step into the role of caretaker for a suckling. Males sired offspring, but they did not rear them, that was left to the females until the males could make warriors out of them. Yet his ill-tempered mei'hswei had easily fallen into the unnatural role of rearing the ooman suckling, and the naked truth of it all was that Osh'ikeille found himself in the rare position of envying his mei'hswei because he hadn't been able to do the same. But now that the little mischief maker had been taken from him, he realized just how protective he'd grown. It was a strange feeling. One he didn't fully comprehend, but he was starting to.

His mandibles retracted behind his mask. Danny, although the name wasn't suitable for one so cunning, had been taken. Hunted. And Osh'ikeille had failed to protect him.

A low growl simmered in his chest, causing both his mate and his mei'hswei to glance at him. Their feelings mirrored his, and Osh'ikeille suddenly felt the drive of the hunt hit him the way it had when he was an unblood. Uzkielle snarled in mutual sentiment, and the mei'hsweis shared one of those moments where no words are needed to understand one another.

Dtoudi Shur'ie stopped. And her mates did the same without question. She met their eyes, sensing the change in the tone of the pack and the hunt, and in turn, reciprocated with a feral flash of teeth, and activated her active camouflage and moved off. The mei'hsweis did the same and followed their mate. And together they melted into the forest...

* * *

 **A/N: Hello lovelies! I apologize for the long delay but my writing time has become almost non-existent and precious these days with the baby coming. I will continue to try and update this story as often as I can. Thanks for all the love and support. I don't have sufficient time to edit, so please ignore mistakes. :)**

 **sempy: Lol, I'm betting Nina's gonna think the exact same thing ;)**

 **angel897: Glad you liked it! Thanx for the love! :)**

 **KTCameleon: Thanx, KT! Happy you enjoyed it! :)**

 **sousie: Lol, Pred-mobile. You're probably right XD**

 **Tenfangirl: Awe, thanx for the love! Lol, I think I bought the Pred plushie off of Etsy and the Xeno off of Amazon. Haha, I saw a facehugger plush but didn't buy it. Yet. ;)**

 **Luna Silvereyes: Lol, thanx! More on the gauntlet later. :) Haha, I don't think Nina could handle an 8yr old Danny forever XD Glad you liked my description of the Mothra/Venamoth and the terror Danny went through when it took him into the sky. I'm glad I was able to capture Danny so well. He really was forced to grow up fast, but I don't think he'd trade his life for anything. Haha, I really enjoyed writing that little snippet about how Nina was fairing. She makes me laugh XD Bagheera is gonna be a big presence ;)**

 **Kay: Awe, I'm glad you enjoyed Danny's little segment. Hope you enjoyed the second part too. I thought the dad part was funny. While I was in that boy's head, I realized he really does think of the twins as father figures, even if he never verbally says so. Lol, I had to add another predator. I've been seeing Bagheera come into play in this story for awhile. I think he'll be a nice addition to the ever-growing family. Oh, and wait till you see Precious's next addition! ;D More to come says, Precious. Much more! Ah, thanx :) I think its totally awesome that you can share the AvP universe with your son! I hope I get that lucky with my daughter. Lol, I think I found the Yautja plush on Etsy and the Xeno on Amazon. :D Chi'ytei!**

 **write more soon: No worries. I will :)**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Possibly ;)**

 **sexyshewolf: Yup yup. Lou-dte Kalei is child maker. I got the translation wrong in that chapter. I was looking at the wrong word when I wrote it.**

 **Guest: Eeee, thanx!**

 **DystrVction: Danny's pretty good at accumulating furry friends. But the Guardian's not necessarily for Danny :)**

 **Crazy4manga: Hi! Hi! Not sure how far you made it into the story yet but thanx for the love :)**

 **DeadlyNightshade97: Of course, Danny wants to keep him, lol. But Bagheera isn't necessarily for Danny. Haha thanx! I had fun with that little Nina bit :) Thanx for the love!**

 **helloabby04: Thanx for the love! Hope you liked the update :)**


	38. Chapter 38

_**Part three**_

 **Beauty and Beast**

"CHITTERS!" Danny woke to the all too familiar chitter-squabbling-howls of the tadpole baboon creatures that were all _teeth,_ and his sister Nina had rightly dubbed as Chitters. The sudden hammer of adrenaline in his veins roused him from sleep so fast he forgot he'd been cat napping on Bagheera's back. "Whoaah-oof!" And the boy unceremoniously plopped to the ground.

Groaning, Danny rubbed his tailbone and glanced up at Bagheera. The big feline gave nothing away, nor did he spare the child a moment of attention. Aside from a single flick of his twin tails, Bagheera remained perfectly still. Danny silenced himself. Even attempting to quiet his breathing which sounded ridiculously loud to his ears. He knew this behavior. Knew that if he wanted to survive, he best pay attention to Bagheera's subtle ques and embody granite the way the big feline did.

Pichu whined, and Bagheera turned his head abruptly and silently bared his teeth. Danny tensed at the display and felt Pichu flatten herself against his head. Once silenced, the big feline's head swiveled away, and Danny exhaled the breath he'd been holding.

Danny sympathized with his tiny yellow friend. More than anything in the world, the boy hated feeling helpless. He was no match for the Chitters. Hell, not even Baymax and Nina had stood a chance, and they were twice his size and _way_ scarier. Bagheera was huge and imposing with lethal claws and teeth, but Danny wondered if it would be enough to deter a pack of those toothy _things_.

Danny felt the weight of his backpack on his shoulders and quietly slipped it off. Bagheera's ears twitched at the sound but ignored him otherwise. As quietly as he could, Danny unzipped the pack and inwardly cursed his sister. She didn't like him handling the Yautja weapons. But what was wrong with a burner? Sure it made bigger holes, but it wasn't all that different from a shotgun. He could handle it. But _noooo_ , Nina had put her foot down about that one. And even when he asked Pakkun behind her back, he'd firmly said no too. Still, this hadn't discouraged him much. And while Pakkun was adamant about teaching him the proper techniques of each weapon, it was Lobomon who gave him his first real weapon aside from the Xenomorph fang.

Danny pulled out Stinger, a short blade katana style weapon the length of his forearm. Lobomon had been showing him how to use it in a reverse style grip so that the blade was always guarding his arm. While it wasn't as frightening to look at as say a glaive or a maul, it had lethal in spades. It had a slightly curved blade made from a pearly black metal unlike anything Danny had ever seen in the movies before with a handle carved from bone. He couldn't read the markings etched into the aged bone, but he also realized the symbols weren't in the Yautja text either. He imagined Lobomon defeated some badass alien and took it as a prize, and could hardly believe his dad had given him something so cool. Danny inwardly grinned, remembering when Lobomon had handed it to him. Danny had teased the big Yautja, saying Nina would kill him if she ever found out, but that only seemed to weirdly please Lobomon more.

Leaving the backpack where it rested on the ground, Danny silently crept closer to Bagheera's side. The big feline's shoulders flexed, but he remained vigilant and kept his gaze forward. Danny leaned close to Bagheera and whispered, "We need more room to move."

At this, the big feline did look at him.

Danny wasn't sure if leaving the relative safety of the brambles was a good idea or a bad one. Going out into the open meant they'd be more exposed, however, if they stayed here it was equally dangerous because they couldn't move freely without risking getting skewered. Danny's face scrunched, both options were hazardous. What's more, he hated the thought of being wrong and getting them killed.

However, to his surprise, Bagheera grunted and dipped his head in agreement. Or at least, it appeared this way to Danny as the big feline started moving swiftly out of the thicket.

 _It'll be okay,_ Danny thought. _Nina... where are you?_ _..._

...

They'd made it as far as a circular clearing before the Chitters were on them, but the forest's edge was still several yards away. And the Chitters quickly swarmed them on all sides barring any chance of escape. The dark furry bodies of the chittering-squabbling creatures were lumped so closely together it was hard to figure out where one set of teeth ended and another began. And in the fading light of the dual suns, the Chitters loomed over them like a living, undulating shadow ready to snuff out their existence.

 _They'll come,_ Danny thought with conviction, even as the fear of being eaten alive threatened to consume him.

Danny realized at that moment that he'd gotten used to being rescued. _Lobomon... Pakkun... Nina... They wouldn't wait around to be rescued,_ he thought with a swell of choking shame. _The Yachu don't wait to be rescued..._ And what if this time no one came to save him?

Danny swallowed hard and pressed his back to Bagheera's ribs. They were up shit creek. In defiance of the fear slamming through his veins, he bared his teeth and widened his stance. He'd wanted an opportunity to prove he could hunt with the Yautja, now was his chance.

Sucking in a deep breath, mirroring a Yautja's battle cry, Danny roared at the Chitters. The unexpected thunderous sound caused him to jump. Danny blinked. That hadn't come from him.

Another roar echoed the first, the sound so menacing it could only come from one Yautja.

 _Lobomon?..._

In front of him, the wall of furry bodies and gnashing teeth exploded outward. Danny's mouth formed an 'O' of surprise a second before a powerful... _something_ swept him off his feet, blew past the mass of disoriented furry bodies, and vaulted over the last remaining veins between the clearing and the forest's edge, and set him back on his feet. All of this happened in the blink of an eye and Danny's face was still stuck somewhere in protest and shock when the cloaked figure who'd hauled ass out of the forest decloaked and knelt in front of him.

"Nina?..." The boy said more than a little shocked that his sister had pulled some seriously wicked cool ninja shit.

"Danny," she breathed. Wrapping the boy in a familiar crushing embrace.

"I'm fin-"

Nina held him at arm's length and spun him around, causing him to stumble as he was suddenly jerked to a stop mid-spin as his sister laid eyes on the wounds across his back. A growl curled in her chest, and Danny blinked in surprise at the very unhuman rumble coming from his sister. It sounded more canine to his ears, which in turn, brought back the horrifying memory of Baymax bloody and unmoving, and for all the world dead lying on the ground.

"Nina-" He tried to turn but found he couldn't break his sisters hold.

"Stop moving-"

"Nina! Baymax! Wha' happened to Baymax?!"

Nina glanced up at her brother, noticing the desperate sheen to his emerald orbs as he focused on her face from over his shoulder. The stony set of her jaw relaxed somewhat as she tried to smile in an attempt to soothe his anxiety. "Baymax is fine, baby bro," she brushed a rust-colored dreadlock from his forehead. Her eyes briefly lighting upon Stinger in his grip, but to his surprise, she didn't comment on it. "He's resting in the shuttle."

Danny exhaled, his shoulders sagging as some of the tension he carried there evaporated. It lasted for about 2.5 seconds then his shoulders jerked back up and his head snapped around as the fight he hadn't been paying much attention too abruptly spilled out of the forest. "Pakkun! Lobomon! Bagheera!"

Once again, quicker than she'd ever been, Nina grabbed up her brother and lept backward and well out of range of the fight. Danny barely had a chance to blink before she set him down and whirled on him. "Stay here." Her voice brooked no argument, and for once Danny didn't feel compelled to argue with her.

Danny stared up at his sister as if seeing her for the first time. She looked every bit the badass like Erza Scarlet with her chestnut red hair up in a high ponytail that swept her scar-riddled shoulders and the top of the black leather bindings fastened across her chest. Her midriff was bare, showing off even more scars than Danny remembered her having. The leather pleats of her warrior style skirt reached midthigh, but the metal plates attached at the hips and the front hung lower. She wore no shoes, something that made him inwardly smile and remind him this was definitely his sister. Though, when his eyes caught sight of the alien gauntlet thingy that had attached itself to her arm, he couldn't help wondering if Nina was really Nina anymore. He met her eyes and focused on the tiny "slutty number four" -Nina's words not his- stone inside her left iris, but when he shifted to actually focus on her eyes, he saw his sister there.

 _This is Nina,_ he thought to himself. No one else could exude such a strong desire to protect him the way she did. No one.

Danny finally gave his sister a micro nod of acknowledgment. She smirked, and it was full of so much southern badassery that Danny couldn't help but return it. She walked away and into the fray, and Danny stared after her, trying to figure out when his sister had gone from just being a kickass albeit klutzy big sister to being a beast.

The Chitters swarmed out of the forest like a dense smoke, and it was hard for Danny to focus on their chaotic movements as he watched the battle. He'd seen both his fathers fight many times over, but these things were relentless. The sheer number of them was daunting, and Danny chewed his lower lip.

He glanced at Lobomon, who seemed to be chucking the Chitters off of him as fast as they crawled over him. The big Yautja snarled in frustration, and the guttural sound sent a hesitant ripple through the sea of teeth and fur. They squealed and squeaked in fright as Lobomon's movements became more agitated, and he went from simply tossing the Chitters to tearing them apart. Shredding limbs and sending chunks of bloody gore to the ground. Danny pursed his lips at the gruesome sight and tried to ignore the vile stench already wafting from the corpses. He'd thought the Chitters smelt rank before, but that was nothing compared to the smell of their exposed guts. Blue guts. Their blood had a greasy appearance like congealed fryer fat that's been used way too long.

The sight grossed him out, but a glance in Pakkun's direction wasn't much better. Even though he didn't share Lobomon's zeal, there was a Jedi awesomeness to his movements as he sliced through furry body after furry body that shot up to try and grab his helmet covered face.

Despite the awe-inspiring fierce display of the Yautja, it was his sister that Danny found himself focusing on. For all the whining she did during training, she sure as hell put it to good use. Her movements weren't as clean as a Yautja's, but she was fast, and Danny grudgingly noticed that unlike him, she didn't allow her short stature to hinder her. She took advantage of it and slipped through the mass of fur and teeth with unexpected ease, and cutting them down as she went. Bagheera worked in tandem with her, moving as if they'd been fighting side by side together their whole lives. Danny's brow furrowed in question at this, though he saw no reason to wonder about it now.

And to be honest, what really stumped Danny was his sister's sudden ability to control her motormouth. And it had to be killing her.

"Twenty-three!" Hack and slash. "Twenty-five!" Nina shouted, her emerald green eyes glittering as she shot Lobomon a fierce grin.

Lobomon snarled something Danny couldn't quite catch, but his sister's laughter told him it was probably something nasty.

Danny smiled and rolled his eyes. Same old Nina. What the heck had he been worried about?

An alarming shriek cut through the din of battle and Danny's face shot up, eyes rounding at the sight of the Venomoth alien exploding out of thick greyish pink clouds and diving to grab him. Stinger was clutched at his chest, but he had no time to react. All he could do was stare an-

A startled yelp leaped from Danny's throat as he went sprawling in the sand. His sister was in front of him, back arched and shoulders set. A great shadow fell over her. Danny could feel air from the beat of its wings. His eyes jerked up. The Venomoth slowed its descent. Water sprayed up around his sister as it lithely landed in front of her. Nina didn't flinch and stared the creature down. The creature's V-shaped slit of a mouth opened and shrieked at her.

The intense sound made Danny's bones ache and fear slammed through him. "Nina!" he shouted, but it was lost in the creature's wailing cry.

The Venomoth alien straightened, towering over his sister. Danny didn't understand why she wasn't running and could only watch helplessly as a long black tongue darted out of the creature's slitted mouth to wrap around Nina's throat. Yet, still, she didn't fight back!

Danny hurried to his feet and brandished Stinger. He started to move only to freeze as his sister gave him a black look from the corner of her eye. That one look warned him not to take one more step or risk a tongue lashing that would make the devil cry out for mercy.

Danny stayed were he was. Neither advancing nor backing away. He trusted his sister, but if the creature tried to take Nina into the sky, all bets were off.

Time didn't slow down or anything like that, but Danny could sense something strange. He suddenly felt smothered; kind of like the time he'd wandered into an airlock on the ship, messed with the touchpad trying to make an antigravity chamber but ended up accidentally messing with the pressurization and almost lost consciousness before Lobomon found him.

And as he watched his sister finally take a step back and hold her ground, Danny felt an unnatural ripple of air sweep around him. It lifted the fine hairs on his arms and legs in alarm. Danny shivered but not from cold. He took a step back, unaware he'd even moved as he noticed Nina's long red hair begin to float and thrash as if she were standing in a wind tunnel. But there wasn't any wind, not even a breeze.

Danny blinked, and it was as if the tiny beat of his lashes set off a butterfly effect. The pressure intensified until his ears popped. And he could smell something like wires shortening. Nina wound her left arm around the creatures tongue, her face a seething mask of rage. Danny's eyes jumped to the furere and stared dumbfounded at the arks of pinkish energy it spat. Nina's mouth worked, but Danny couldn't hear what she said. There was a strange crackling roar, and Danny was swept off his feet and thrown into the sand. He blinked. Tried to find his sister but in the next instant heat and light consumed him. A body fell over his. Danny couldn't tell who it was, nor could he hear the high continuous scream tearing up his throat...

* * *

 **A/N: Hello lovelies! Hope you enjoyed the update. Sorry for grammar errors. Just FYI, I've recently updated A Fangirl's Crack'd Afterlife as well! It's my newest human/predator romance story! Also, I may be posting Punctured Souls and Other Black Holes next Thursday. (If you're a fan of TK's world then you'll enjoy the story.) Again a human/pred pairing but with a twist ;) Back to the normal POV for this story next update! Thanx for all the love and support!**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Haha XD Mother nature on steroids!**

 **Third Destiny: Awe, thanx, Third Destiny! You're so sweet! I won't forget you! Promise! And I agree. A rushed story feels and reads that way. I'll try my best to always give the readers my best. It just might take a bit longer ;)**

 **angel987: Thanx, angel! :)**

 **DeadlyNightshade97: Well, thank you, DeadlyNightshade97! Your review left me grinning :) It'll all come together, I promise.**

 **Tenfangirl: Ah, BabyBlue. That's cute! XD Thanx so much for the love and support! :)**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: Lol, yup, there was a very loud "FINALLY" from all the reviewers' XD Omg, your reviews left me chuckling and smiling for a while. Lol, I'd say Nina's pretty lucky too ;) And Baymax survived! No way could I kill the dog! Thanx for all the love! XD**

 **sempy: Thanx. I wanted there to be more to Bagheera and Pichu rather than simply being pets. It'll definitely add to the overall story. And I'm really happy you're enjoying it. :)**

 **sousie: We'll find out ;) Her mates are definitely potential trouble for Bagheera, but I think I've got it figured out. Thanx, sousie :)**

 **Guest: Ah, shucks. Thanx XD**

 **Sleepyhallow01: Hope you enjoyed the update :)**

 **helloabby04: Lol, well, your excitement makes me uber happy XD Glad you liked it! Thanx for the love!**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Baymax is okay ;) I could never kill that dog! He's gold!**

 **Kay: Lol, I have a couple of weeks of third-trimester hell left. Go me. Updates will definitely be slower, but Precious will try her damnedest not to forget! The last thing I want is to put this story in limbo for a year! Again! Lol, so Uz is your favorite, neh? Truthfully he's my favorite too. He'll be back in the picture soon. Oh! If you like Uz then you'll definitely like this story I've been working on. Its called Punctured Souls and Other Black Holes. It's another pred/human romance. The main female character isn't as kick butt as Nina but the pred (spoiler!) is actually a Bad Blood! But not the kind of Bad Blood your brain probably just jumped too ;) I plan to post the story soon. Maybe next Thursday. Yes. I know. I'm insane XD Also, there's Kasai'sa! He's my newest pred in my other pred/human romance story A Fangirl's Crack'd Afterlife. Not quite as big as Uz but uber protective of his mate too. Though, not nearly as controlling. (Hehe, that's actually a bit of a spoiler since I haven't introduced him to the story yet!) XD (Sorry for the info dump. I just wanna give you more options since it takes me longer to update these days.) Lol, I have way too much fun creating hunky Yautja! Yup, yup, Precious is a weird one. Anyway, thanx for the love! I'll be back with an update as soon as I can! Chi'ytei!**

 **Lola: He's a young kid with an overprotective sister. This story roughly spans six months and behavioral development is based on many different factors. All I can say is Danny will mature at his own rate. Thanx for reading. :)**

 **Snickering Fox: Thank you so much for the reviews! Lol, and yes, Nina's life has literally been one mess to the next but I'm not sure she'd know how to function without chaos in her life ;)**


	39. Chapter 39

**Alien Fever**

Hell. Yup, that explained it. Why else would there be a giant white werewolf ass in my face? I scowled aware of another warm body curled against my backside. Seriously, what was up with everyone invading my damn bubble?!

The butt in my face shifted as Baymax lifted his head to eye me from over his rump.

"If you fart, I swear I'll shove you into an airlock," I hissed.

Unfortunately, Babymax was a tough one to scare. Unmoved by my threat, he stared at me with his lone ice blue orb until I lost the contest and blinked first. Baymax gave a curt sniff, then the bastard laid back down, and stretched out his hind legs, taking up as much room as possible the jerk. Stupid bed hog's toe claws were digging into my ribs!

Despite the rude awakening, I found myself smiling. Glad that the ornery dog was okay after the Mothra beast tore up his chest. Baymax's loyalty to my brother was unquestionable, and we almost lost him because of it. No matter how badly his stubborn streak pissed me off, I loved this dog to death. But I swear to god if he farted in my face I'd _end_ him!

Ignoring the deep ache in my bones, I stiffly rolled over, and away from the potentially loaded weapon aimed at my head and found Danny cuddled on my other side. Like Baymax, my brother's ribs were wrapped in clean bandages that smelled faintly of an earthy wound salve.

My fingers twitched. I wanted to take a gander at those wounds but resisted my overbearing motherly instincts. I didn't want to wake him, and I trusted my mates thoroughly took care of my baby brother. Besides, there was another pressing issue staring me right in the face.

Laying as if he were a royal sphinx, the giant cat... alien, er, whatever watched me from the opposite side of my brother. His ears twitched but otherwise, he didn't move. His body posture belied the readiness I sensed, although he appeared relaxed and his iridescent blue orbs were at half-mast I had no doubt he had a hair trigger reaction.

My eyes flicked down to my brother, noting the lines of exhaustion, and tiny scratches on his face then back up to the strange alien. Our eyes met, and I gave him a subtle nod. I didn't know this creature, but he'd fought side by side with me and protected my brother. He appeared to understand the gesture and returned it with a dip of his jaw.

 _Interesting..._

I put him in the category of intelligent being rather than just another _pet_ my brother adopted. Danny sure did have a habit of picking up some weird strays. Uzkielle and Osh instantly popped into my head, and I smirked. Some very, _very_ weird strays.

"His name is Bagheera."

My eyes rolled south, "Does he know that?" Funny how often this same conversation kept cropping up.

Danny's knowing smile was as sweet and bright as golden honey.

I arched a brow. Waiting for those four little words that always proceeded this conversation and continuously managed to turn our lives upside down. Considering Bagheera was here, Osh and Uz had already given the stinker permission to keep the alien cat.

 _Traders! So much for being big tough Yautja! Can't even say no to a chi-_

"He's not mine."

My left brow climbed to join the right in confusion.

Danny shifted to lean up on his elbow, a wince flashed across his face, and he laid back down. "Bagheera's yours," he said, a slight frown wrinkling his brow. His eyes flicked from mine to Bagheera with a sigh.

I poked his temple when he didn't continue. "What do you mean he's mine? You're the alien whisperer, not me."

"I dunno know," he swatted my hand away absently. "I just... know, okay. He protected me but only to get to you."

My eyes went to the big cat. Confusion stewing when I felt an odd pull towards the alien in question. I didn't know this creature. Still, I sensed he had something to do with all the other weird shit that's been happening. My fingers absently smoothed over the furere and I exhaled a sigh of pure exhaustion.

 _Why me? Seriously, why do all of our guardian angels come in such freaky packaging?!_

Danny giggled at my lack of enthusiasm. If the kid wasn't so banged up, I might be tempted to squash him. However, another glance at his bruised jaw and ribs helped me channel that desire into a simple temple poke.

Danny protested with a loud whiny cry, only the smile in his eyes gave him away.

"I should shove you in an airlock too," I grumbled.

Danny grinned, "You wouldn't."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I might."

His grin widened, "You'd miss me."

I rolled my eyes away from the cheeky brat, "Whatever. I'm starving. How long have I been asleep anyway?"

"Two days."

My eyes shot back to him in surprise, "That long?" Damn two days of sleep and my giddy-up still had no go.

"Nina, you should've seen yourself!" He forced himself up on an elbow even though it was obviously uncomfortable. "Forget Sailor Moon! You went Sailor Jupiter on that alien bug thing's as- butt! You brought the thunder! And the lightning!"

Danny's praise brightened my sour mood. For the first time in a very _very_ long time, I was his hero and it gave me all sorts of warm fuzzies.

 _Ha! In your faces Osh and Uz!_

Actually thinking of frick and frack where were those two? It's kinda weird to wake up without an overprotective Uzkielle growling at me. So my eyes took a quick tour, but other than finding myself in Danny's room, which was neutral territory for those two yahoos, my mates were nowhere to be seen.

"They went back to the surface," Danny said putting an end to my wondering.

"Why?"

Danny's eyes slid closed, and he rolled onto his back despite the discomfort it caused. "To dig for answers," he heaved.

The uneven breaths he drew made my chest tighten in worry. I propped myself up and leaned over him. A light sheen of sweat glistened at his hairline deepening my concern.

 _His face looks red._

I touched my forehead to his, and while it wasn't scorching hot, the kid had a definite fever.

 _Shit!_

While I slept like the dead, my brother was battling a fever- some momma bear I am!

Annoyed by my lazy motherly instincts, I ignored the various pops and aches as my body protested to me dragging ass outta bed. Danny didn't even stir, already out like a light the poor kid. Worry gnawing at my stomach, I quietly slipped from the room and headed for the galley. There wasn't a whole lot of what I would consider comfort food aboard this ship, much less edible (in my opinion), but I'd be damned if I couldn't whip up some sort of chicken noodle soup. Or at least something close to it. Maybe.

"So who are you?" I asked the big feline shadowing my steps. Not that I actually expected an answer, but you never know. In the beginning, I never dreamed I'd be able to communicate with Osh and Uz. Now the trick was getting them to shut up sometimes.

Bagheera's shoulder brushed my ribs. God damn, this alien was fucking big. Like a Siberian tiger! If Siberian tigers had had unicorn horn's and _four_ , count 'em, four iridescent blue eyes! Though I had to admit, even with the extra eyes he was still a handsome creature. I say handsome because calling him beautiful didn't seem to fit the regal air about him.

The big cat's gaze remained fixed ahead of us. He appeared lost in thought, or maybe his disregard had been intentional. Who knows, but I didn't care enough to take offense.

We walked side by side in silence, and once we reached the galley, Bagheera hopped up on the edge of the big window and laid down.

I cocked a brow at him but didn't say anything as I started foraging through our food stores. And while nothing I found even came close to resembling chicken or noodles, my nose worked in tandem with my intuition, and I managed to create a decent broth with reddish chunks of something I'll pretend are mushrooms. I tested it first to make sure I wasn't about to make my brother vomit and decided it smelled better than it tasted but it warmed my insides which was what I wanted.

Danny was still lightly dozing when I returned but perked up when he smelled the broth. He sat up as I perched on the edge of the berth and handed him the ogre-sized bowl.

"What? You're not gonna feed me?" he pouted. But the teasing glint in his eyes instantly gave him away.

"You've got two hands."

He snorted and took the bowl then gave its contents a dubious sniff.

"Just eat it," I groaned as I flopped back in the pile of fur, and tossed a forearm over my eyes.

"It ain't gumbo, but it's not half bad."

"Gee, thanks," I grumbled. As I listened to him eat, I felt my body beginning to relax muscle by muscle and just as I was beginning to doze Danny spoke.

"Hey, Neens?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember back on the ship when I said I wanted to visit a snow planet?"

My brows scrunched, I had a vague recollection of that conversation. It happened right before the Mathra creature stole him. And the thought of snow only managed to conjure up the World Eater in my head. "Yeah," I peeked up at him from beneath my arm. "What of it?"

He stared into the bowl and absently stirred its contents. "Do you think we can still go?"

Okay, enough of this. I sat up. "I dunno, kiddo," I sighed and ran a hand through my bedraggled hair. Holy mother, I needed a shower! "Our situation has changed, Danny."

"Oh," he frowned at his soup.

The silence bugged me. Danny was not one to let things go. Especially not quietly. Something weird was happening, and I couldn't put my finger on it. I laid a hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze. "Why, Danny? Why is a snow planet so important?"

He set the bowl aside. "Because we missed Christmas!" I was a little shocked by his sudden frustration. He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, "And we missed your birthday..."

"Oh, my god!" I burst out laughing. I couldn't help it.

Danny jolted in surprise at my outburst but then his face darkened as I continued to laugh. "It's not funny, Nina!"

"Yes, it is!" I wiped away an imaginary tear. "You got so worked up-" I abruptly grabbed his face. "-it was just so dang cute, I couldn't stand it!"

Danny batted my hands away, crossed his arms, and sulked. Now that seemed more like him.

I bit my lip. "Hey, come on, Danny. I wasn't laughing at you. I think its sweet that you were thinking of me." I leaned back on my elbows. "Honestly, I can't believe you even remembered. Hell, I didn't even remember, and it was my birthday. Things have been really crazy, you know?" I nudged him with my shoulder, "Hey, thanks for thinking of me."

He still didn't look very happy, but his body lost some of its rigidity. "Yeah, well, one of us has to remember these things."

I sprang up, once again surprising the hell outta him as I wrapped him in a bear hug. "Awe, you done take such good care of me!" I planted a loud kiss on his forehead. "Love you, Soot Sprite!"

"Nina!" He shoved at me. "Get off you weirdo!"

"Nope!" I giggled as he struggled and I started to let go when another bulb in my brain finally clicked on. I held a startled looking Danny at arm's length. "Wait a minute! That means your birthday is right around the corner! For the love of-" My hands migrated to his head, and I pulled him forward until our noses were touching. "-you're gonna be nine!"

Finally, he cracked a smile. "Yup! So I get a burner right?!"

"Eeee- wrongo, boyo!" I laughed at his crash and burn expression. "But nice try."

Danny sighed, shrugged me off, picked up his bowl and took a sip. "It better be somethin' good then," he grumbled.

"What do you want-" I held up a finger as he opened his mouth. "-that won't blow holes in the ship?"

He rolled his eyes, "I dunno. Maybe some new gear?"

"Like what?"

He duck-billed his lips, "Some shoulder guards. The other ones are getting tight." A grin flashed across his face, "I've got muscle!"

It hit me then. Why Danny seemed a bit off beat. When he smiled, I saw our dad looking out through his eyes. Danny was getting older, and dare I say it, maturing. Kind of. His role models were fully-grown, confident (Egotistical), predatory aliens and not other naive kids his age. Living on this vessel with Osh and Uz meant he would never have normal childhood or even human experiences. Not that Danny cared about those things, but I did. I didn't like the idea of my baby brother turning into a "hunter" and someone who routinely put himself in Death's path for honor before his voice even started crackin'!

Unaware of my inner turmoil, Danny set the bowl aside and twisted to get a look at the wounds beneath the gauze. I saw the proud smile curling his lips as he peered at the raw, scabbing slash marks and realized what I wanted didn't matter. Whether I liked it or not, Danny was growing up. And because Osh and Uz were my mates and in a sense, both males were his fathers', Danny would likely take after them as most kids do. It was a scary thought, but even though I was loath to admit it, those two were better mentors than any human I ever dated. And he would likely grow into man faster than I was ready for.

"... back to Earth, right?"

"Wait?" Crap. I'd zoned out. "What?"

Danny smoothed the gauze back over the wound. "We're going back to Earth, right?"

Okay, seriously confused now. "You wanna go back?"

My brother rolled his eyes. "Pay attention, Nina. I said the World Eater is headed to Earth. Then I asked if we're going after it."

"How do you know its headed for Earth?"

"Has there ever been a movie where the alien doesn't attack Earth?"

"What movie?!" I shot back.

"Independence Day," he started ticking off his fingers. "Pacific Rim, Species, any Marvel movie..." He paused. Scratched his chin. "Wasn't there some movie called Predator or Alien vs Predator? Something like that?"

"I dunno. There's been so many- and when the hell did you watch Species?!" I rubbed a hand down my face. "You know what nevermind. Not important. Those are movies, Danny. This is real life."

Danny pointedly looked around. "Yeah, life on a real _alien_ ship. And did you forget the white bug queen who can survive space and can fly? Fly, Nina! The thing can freakin' fly!"

Okay, he had a point.

 _"... Tsia can track the queen..."_ The alien girl's words came back to me.

"Danny," I bounced up off the berth. "Where's Tsi- I mean Pichu?!"

The bumblebee yellow fuzz ball shook herself free from under Baymax's tail and chirped. I scooped her up and stared into her bright pearly orbs.

"Nina?"

"Only one way to find out if you're right, kiddo," I said while heading for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"The cockpit."

"Wait!" Fever forgotten, Danny padded behind me. And the soft click of dog nails followed him. "We're coming too!"

* * *

 **A/N: Ugh. Trying to find a moment to write while taking care of a baby is about as rare as alien sightings... lol, actually, alien sightings might happen more often ;D Especially if said baby laughs at you everytime you try to get her to take a bloody nap! Sorry lovelies, but updates will take longer, and grammatical errors can kiss my tired ass. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed. And don't forget to check out my other Yautja/human romance stories ;D**

 **Tenfangirl: Thanx, lovely XD You're pretty fantastic yourself! And lol, I don't think I'm superwoman, but I'm definitely driven. Rare as it is, writing is my chance to escape for a few minutes from the craziness. :)**

 **angel897: Ah, thank you! Yup! Yup! I thought maybe it was time for Nina to kick a little butt on the same level as her mates :)**

 **sousie: Lol, you're welcome! XD**

 **Luna Silvereyes: No worries. You got a life girl. I'm just glad you're reading it :) Glad you liked Osh's mind. I developed Danny a bit more in this chapter. I think it only makes since that he starts to take after his dads', lol.**

 **Puffgirl1952 the 2nd: Lol, a little bit ;)**

 **KTCameleon: Haha XD I think you're right!**

 **TigrisRawr: Lol, well, thanx! So glad you like it! :D**

 **Kay: Haha XD To be honest, I don't think I got any of those "sweet" signals during my pregnancy. XD In any case, I've had my baby since we last chatted ;) Lol, Precious is sorry about your heart... kind of. ;D And Precious has no bad character concept of you! Precious was just worried that the idea of a Bad Blood (since they're dishonored) might not appeal to your curiosity. But I'm glad I was wrong! I really do want to explore a Bad Blood. I think it'll be fun and unique. So harass away! Chi'ytei!**

 **LunarKitty1995: Lol, yup, its back! XD**

 **incurser: Thanx so much! I'm happy you're enjoying it :D**

 **Guest 1: Ah, thanx! XD**

 **aisaac5: Awe, you're so sweet! You can't see it but I'm smiling like mad XD I really hope you enjoy my other stories just as much. I'm particularly fond of Punctured Souls and Other Black Holes, as well as Baby Rex Adopts a Predator XD I'm having a lot of fun writing those two. I'll update this story again as soon as I can. Thank you! :)**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: Lol, I know. I find Danny adorable too. That kid writes himself XD Omg, that's hilarious! I didn't even think of the Lion King roar! My gosh, I can't even remember the last time I watched that movie! Now I feel I must see it again! XD Thanx so much for the love!**

 **UTsSmutQueen: Lol, and I'm thrilled you stumbled upon it as well :D Thanx so much for the compliment!**

 **Julietterose4901: Thanx :)**

 **TheGalaxeus: Thanx for reading :)**

 **Guest 2: Thanx :D**

 **Zombiehorde13: Ah, thanx! I missed you guys too! Updates will be a little slower since I'm a new mom, but I will try my best to update when I can.**

 **Almadynis Rayne: I'm so glad you were able to catch up! And I'm thrilled it had you laughing and smiling! :D Lol, psychokinesis would definitely be a plus in the bedroom but that's not her gift. I went more God of Thunder ;) Thanx for the love!**

 **Arbitrator11: I have no idea if you made it to the end, but I hope you did. And I hope you enjoyed it ;)**

 **OptimusPoptart24: Thanx, OptimusPoptart! I thought it was time to give Nina a bit of an edge ;)**

 **EdgyWraith: Ah, you're so sweet! I was grinning from ear to ear after reading your review! Thanx for the love!**

 **Elex Black: Lol, trouble is around every corner in this story ;D Thanx for the love!**

 **ChewingGum98: Awe, you're sweet. Being a new mom takes up most of my time, but I swear I'll update when I can! :)**


	40. Chapter 40

**Nina X**

"Oh, wow!" Danny hopped into what I assume was the piloting chair when this baby wasn't running on auto. "How mad would Pakkun and Lobomon be if we took the Predator for a spin?"

"Mad enough to freeze you in carbonite for the better part of two centuries."

Danny giggled and mimicked a frozen Han Solo. Head shaking in mirth, I set Pichu on the console and summoned up the holo NAV. "Alright, fluffball, do your thing."

Pichu eyed the console beneath her tiny bird feet for a second then met my eyes with a quizzical sounding chirp. Huh, now that I thought about it, how the hell was she supposed to tell me anything? Did she even understand what I was asking?

 _So the furere can turn me into the God of Thunder but it doesn't double as a freaking translator?! Huh, figures..._

"Ummm," I made antlers with my hands behind my head. "You track bug queen?" She gave me a slow blink. "The World Eater?" Another blink. "Do that voodoo that you do so well?" Nerves foot pattering. "Eh," I sighed and gave up the charades. "It was worth a shot." I cocked my head at her. "Maybe she's broken?"

That earned me an angry chirp. Pichu puffed out her feathers at me. Fluffball speak for "fuck you, too".

"Lemme try," Danny said.

"Knock yourself out," I sidestepped out of the way. While Danny did his alien whisperer thang, I swiped aside star systems we'd passed through after leaving Earth on the holo navigation thingy. As far as we knew, the World Eater was still in the hands of a BadBlood clan. Yay, us. No offense to Osh and Uz, but how the fuck were we supposed to take on a whole clan? And their pet?

"You be good, Pichu," Danny patted the fluffballs head, "and tell Neens where to find the bug queen."

I dropped my head into the holo images and the planets scattered. "Oh, come on," I smacked the console impatiently, rounded on the two of them and stole Pichu from my brother's hands. "I could've don-"

Symbols. Yautja numbers and letters flash in stop-motion. Fire and smoke. The World Eater raises her head in fury, the phosphorescent blood of her enemies coats her snow-white exoskeleton. Her chains broken. She is free. A planet. _Where is it?_

"-ina?!"

I sense my feet moving, but I am a passenger inside my own head.

"Nina?!"

The cockpit snapped back into focus. Danny was in front of me, holding Pichu to his chest in one hand and touching my forearm with the other. Pichu gave me another one of those slow blinks, and I suddenly understood what had happened. Well, not completely, but I had a pretty good idea. Touching Pichu equals zappy zappy.

I reached around my brother, and input the coordinates. The holo NAV did this really cool thing where it zoomed past constellations, asteroids, planets, and dead space, before finally stopping on a moon. The name of the moon scrawled next to it in red text that was in the Yautja tongue, but I could read it.

"Nina?" Danny's eyes kept ping-ponging between me and the nav point as he spoke. "What jus' happened? The thingamabob in your eye lit up, and your face went all weird."

"Um, I think I went all Professor X when I touched Pichu."

"Really?!" His face brightened then sobered as he looked at the nav point. "Then what's that?"

"That's Mushu. And that is where we need to go."

His face pinched like he'd eaten a fistful of sour patch gummies. "Like as in the pork?"

My expression mirrored his then I burst out laughing. "Oh my god, I just got that! Ha! Mushu pork!"

"I'll take mine with a couple eggrolls!" Danny started laughing too. "You think they take expired coupons?!"

We laughed. We heehawed until our stomachs hurt, and we were both leaning on the console for support. And when my mates chose that moment to walk in, our laughter turned into howls as Osh and Uz cocked their heads in unison. They growled at us, confused by our amusement. I wiped away tears and sagged until only my elbows held me up on the console. God, I couldn't even remember the last time I'd laughed so hard. It felt good. And that's right about when the delayed implications of what I'd seen came screaming back.

 _Holy shit! Was that the future?! Or the past?!_

I glanced at Pichu, only I didn't get the chance to ask. The World Eater, she was suddenly inside my head, shrieking!

"Fuck!" I clapped my hands over my ears and sank to the floor. The vision was stronger this time. More visceral. It stole the very air from my lungs. Inside my head, the Xeno Queen's scream echoed. Others joined hers; the shrieks of her children; the cries of the dying. All of it. All of it blared inside my head until I was screaming right along with them.

A cold chill swept through me. So I reached for the only warmth I could sense. The furere. It buzzed, warm and alive at the edge of my mind. I didn't understand how, but I knew it would end my suffering.

 _"... Nina, you must stop! You can't control it yet..."_ The voice of the alien ghost girl called out to me. Didn't she understand I had to make it stop?! I ignored her. I reached for that glorious energy, took it into myself, and allowed it to build until there were no more voices... except, there were voices.

"-ina! Stop!"

 _Danny? Stop what?_

The roar of my mates. I sensed their desperation, their anger, their confusion and didn't understand any of it.

 _"You will kill them..."_

My eyes shot open. The Predator shuddered as if she'd run aground or something. And the lights flickered on and off in a dizzying strobe. I didn't know what to make of it until I saw my brother's face. Sweaty and ashen, the terror leaked from his very pores. The scene unfolding just kept getting stranger. Osh'ikeille held Danny to him, well away from me. And Uzkielle... my chest constricted. Uzkielle lay slumped against the wall a few feet away from me.

"Uzkielle?!" I croaked. The air like sawdust in my mouth. His limbs jerked in response then fell limp. Not dead, just unconscious.

I would've sighed in relief, only I suddenly became aware of a horrible knife like pain in my right arm. And then there was also this low growl... Bagheera. My eyes found Bagheera's and the alien cat had my right forearm in his jaws. And it fucking hurt!

"Bagheera! Wha-" Electrical arcs leaped from my body to dance over his. The dots connected and my eyes widened. While trapped in the vision, I'd harnessed the furere's power. No wonder the ship was shaking, it was because of me! Uzkielle must've tried to stop me and got zapped!

I swallowed hard and looked at Bagheera. I finally figured out his purpose. Danny had called him a guardian. He protected the wearer of the furere but he also acted as a living grounder for the furere if things got out of control. And things had most definitely gotten outta my control.

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I bit the inside of my cheek. "Thank you."

Sensing the danger had passed, Bagheera let me go and licked the bloody wound.

"Oh... god," my eyes went to Danny, only to close them in shame. "I'm so sorry..."

The attention of Osh'ikeille's eyes burned. Displeasure? Maybe. Apologizing to a Yautja was a mistake. Showing your belly to the wolf so to speak. But as the fear and anxiety clogged my throat, I decided I didn't care. Fuck it. I wanted to be human and cry.

 _I almost killed them..._

And had it not been for Bagheera, I probably would have...

* * *

 **A/N: Dang, I busted this puppy out in a matter of hours! Lol, guess I was really motivated XD And those reviews sure do spur me on! Thanks, everyone!**

 **Tenfangirl: Baby girl is sleeping like a dream right now. I know that'll change (shudders), so I'm taking advantage while I can. ;) You're awesome, Tenfangirl! Thanx for all the love! :D**

 **Life Death rabidlovingfangirl: Sweet! That's so cool that both you and your girlfriend read my story! Gives me all sorts of warm fuzzies :) Lol, it's cute! Thanks so much for the love and support! And stay beautiful! ;)**

 **angel897: Awe, thanks. I thought those two needed a little down time before I threw them right back into the fire ;)**

 **WereWolf2000: Never! I love this story too much! Not being able to update on a regular basis kills me! So I will continue to try my very hardest ;) Thank you!**

 **LunarKitty1995: You and your girlfriend are awesome! Thank you for the love! :)**

 **KTCameleon: Yup! I'll work hard to keep updating :)**

 **sousie: Lol, I think so too ;D**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: No prob! Thanx for the love :)**


	41. Chapter 41

**Shock and Awe People! Shock and Awe!**

You know, once upon a time, just watching the superhero movies wasn't enough. I wanted to be the hero. Have the cool car, the smoken bod with an anime style costume, and a harem of men. Heh, well, I kinda had the harem part and _believe_ me it's not all it's cracked up to be. The only exception being the crazy hot sex. Oh, yes, I wanted to be the kickass chick. But what I conveniently forgot about was the inner battle most of those heroes went through. Now, if I could go back, I'd slap myself. Being the outside observer of someone else's struggle was easy but actually _being_ that person, well, I suddenly had way more respect for Bruce Banner.

Sighing, I eyeballed my reflection and sneered. At least I looked the part of a freak show. My chestnut-red hair had grown wild and well past my shoulders giving me a very psych ward escapee look, and the dark half-moons beneath my eyes didn't help either.

 _Pretty..._

Without hesitation, I took the blade I always kept tucked at the small of my back and started hacking away at the rat nest on my head. Carved from the steely hide of a xeno, it was the first gift I ever received from Osh. I loved this blade. And it gave me strength every time I held it.

I cut off the weight, going shorter than I ever have. My hair is thick, so a cute pixie cut wouldn't really work. What I ended up with was one of those weird chunky cuts that only worked on the models in magazines. Not that I cared. It was hair. It would grow back. I added a little love for my mates by styling the left side in waterfall braids and weaving the ring Uz had given me into it. This way I could show off some of my trophies without the dreads.

I smiled. I liked the look. Things were still shit, but I felt better gaining this tiny speck of control back. Cleaned up and bandaged, I headed for the cockpit to face the music. Or in my case, two riled Yautja males. Go, me.

...

"Are you serious? None of the clans will intervene?" The discussion had spiraled. It's not like the furere came with a damn manual. What was I supposed to do? Ask it nicely to fuck off?! So I decided to skip over it and concentrate on the more urgent matter of what to do about a twenty story xeno queen with wings. Besides, if I kept trying to analyze the moment I almost killed everyone the memory would crush me into dust. But apparently, no one else had drummed up any bright theories during my brief absence.

"Sei-i," Osh asserted, his amber orbs a furious liquid gold. For once our mate bond was giving me nothing. It was like he purposely shut it down, so I wouldn't feel the full backlash of his fury. Why fury? I had no idea, but it was there in his eyes. Likely it was in response to what happened earlier. The Yautja have a real issue when it comes to showing vulnerability. I wasn't so sure if I "frightened" him per say, but I imagine I put him in a position of feeling powerless. And there was something else too, something I couldn't quite put my finger on because he'd shut me out. And while I really _needed_ to know what that something was, now wasn't the time.

"Goddammit!" I slammed my palms on the console. I was feeling "charged" in the literal sense of the word as my new _ahem_ gift reeked havoc on the lights. Wisely, the others stayed on the opposite side of the console. "Why not?!" I already knew the answer. But that didn't mean I had to like it.

"NoooT ere war," Uzkielle said flatly. I met his eyes, then quickly averted them. He growled in response to my dodge. Unlike Osh, Uzkielle didn't even try to hide the ire boiling beneath his skin. I've imagined knocking him on his ass a million times during our sparring sessions in the kehrite, except this hadn't been a fair fight. Not by a long shot. I'd damaged his ego, an atrocity I'd be paying for later.

Bagheera pressed himself into my side drawing my attention to the sparks leaping from my fingertips. Taking a deep breath, I reined in my anger. Kind of. My teeth were still buzzing. "It's not our war either," I seethed. "Or at least it wasn't." Ready or not, I finally met Uzkielle's mismatched orbs. "We need help."

At this, Osh'ikeille said one word, "Ra'zele." And Uzkielle flipped his shit. The outright rage in his roar had me taking an involuntary step back before I could stop myself. He shoved Osh. However, Osh was apparently aware of the reaction that word would trigger because he'd already pushed Danny aside and braced himself. Osh roared his fist making a solid _thud_ as it connected with Uz's ribs.

Danny moved behind me. Or had I moved in front of him? For that matter, when had I hopped the console?

 _Freaking, yahoos!_

The violent brawl was growing in volume, so I decided to end it. A rush of energy tingled through my limbs. Bagheera was at my left in an instant, grounding me. This time when I called on the furere's power, I found it easier to maintain than before. Interesting, but I could analyze it later.

"Stop it!" The crack of electricity punctuated the command in my voice. Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle backed off one another their bodies still wound and ready to fight as they slowly turned to face me.

Considering Uzkielle's enraged reaction and the animosity stinking up the room, I surmised that Ra'zele was the Big Daddy; the Grand Poobah; the infamous Paya Slayer, Gul'dan the BadBlood had sneered at before my mates and I, laid some hate on him. So I forged on, intent on answers. I directed my next words at Osh, since verbal communication seemed beyond Uzkielle at this point. "Ra'zele is your sire."

"SEI-I!" Uzkielle spat the word at me. Osh'ikeille snarled at his brother in warning, which only provoked him more. Uzkielle rounded on Osh with a ferocious roar, but I intervened before the hit could connect.

"Uzkielle!" I lanced a charge at his feet, and he leapt away like a spooked jungle cat. Death in his eyes as he turned his snarl on me. Our mate bond tugged at the very depths of my soul and Uzkeille must've felt it too because his whole body seemed to jerk when recognition dawned on him. But for just a second the hate had consumed him to the point that he hadn't remembered who I was. He tensed, realizing his sin at the same moment I did.

"Uzkielle, swallow your venom." He met my eyes, and I fought down a flinch at the unbridled fury still swirling in them. "If you can't handle this then get out. Because if your sire can help us, I will not let my world burn over a stupid grudge." His mandibles flared, but I was on fire now and wasn't about to let up. "You hate him because his decision to mate an ooman caused trouble for you and your brother within the clan. Well if you haven't fucking noticed, I'm an ooman. So your grudge no longer holds water."

Uzkielle didn't wither under the weight of my words however he seemed to accept them. When our eyes met again, I expected to see bitterness, maybe even resentment, so the respect I saw came as a bit of a shock. A smirk twitched at his mandibles. A clear reminder that this Predator liked it when I got feisty and pushed back.

"Uh, cough, cough," Danny teased in an attempt to break the tension.

I collected my scattered thoughts. Sort of. "Okay, so why Ra'zele? Because his mate happens to be human, you think they'll help us?" I asked pointedly looking at Osh and ignoring Uzkielle's indignant scoff.

"Sei-i," Osh rumbled.

 _Not exactly an army-_

"...others 'ill f _iii_ ghT."

-s _ay what?! Seriously, Nina, pick a better time to zone out!_

"Others?! What others?! There are other Yautja mated to humans?!"

Osh'ikeille turned to me fully, a predatory gleam in his bright gold orbs. "Sei-i..."

* * *

 **A/N: Oh my god! Wait till y'all see what I got up my sleeve ;D Hehe, I've got a smexy surprise next chapter ;P Oops! Said too much. Please hit the pretty blue review button :) And thanks for reading. Oh, and just a quick rehash Gul'dan was the BadBlood defeated back in chapters 18 and 19.**

 **Tenfangirl: Lots of love to you my friend! I'd send a hug to you from Uzkielle, but he growled at me everytime I tried to steal one XD So I'm sending one from Danny ;)**

 **angel897: Lol, I think drama kind follows Nina XD Thanx for the love!**

 **aisaac5: THERE YOU ARE! Few! *wipes sweat from brow* And omg, I did my own little happy dance when I got your review! I always look forward to responding :D All is well! I finally found a little time to write while my baby girl naps. Lol, I think Lobomon is pretty pissed too. *snicker* I wonder what he'll do about it XD Thanx so much, aisaac5!**

 **Life Death rabidlovingfangirl: Haha! XD Yeah, I guess she did! And your excitement got me pumped! I swear I wrote the majority of this chapter in a day! Thanx for the love! Stay beautiful!**

 **SolusPrimeLightBlast: No prob! Thanx for the love :)**

 **DeadlyNightShade97: Awe! Thank you! That "holy shit" had me grinning like mad XD**

 **Guest: Eeee! Thanx! :D**

 **DarkSpiritDemon: Ha! Uz as Fester! And oh my god, you go and make me blush! Thanks for the compliment! And the love! Just wait till you see what I've got planned! Heck, I can hardly wait myself! XD**

 **TerminalBoy: Ah, you're wonderful too! I got warm fuzzies reading your review :)**

 **acetwolf94: THANX! I'll keep working hard to bring you more :D**


	42. Chapter 42

**Dig this Cheesy Romance XD**

My breasts pressed into the window. My breath fogging the view of the stars. My fingers found no purchase, but the large hands grasping my hips, and the powerful upward strokes of Osh'ikeille's rock hard cock kept me suspended.

I wound my ankles around the backs of his legs, anchoring myself, and digging my toes into the heavy muscle.

 _Gawd_ almighty if this was Osh'ikeille's idea of punishment then chain me to the wall baby!

Okay, lemme start over, which was something like two climaxes ago, Osh and I were sleeping- er, well, he was pretend sleeping while I watched. A Yautja rarely sleeps in the company of others, even their mates, and as soon as I was awake so was he. It's instinctual I guess but it made it damn hard to be sneaky. Anyway, Osh'ikeille laid on his back, his eyes closed, relaxing in my presence as my eyes drank in his nudity. Really, once you get passed the mandibles and that you're boinking an alien, a Yautjas body will turn you into a junky always clawing for your next fix. And I wholeheartedly embraced being an addict.

Osh'ikeille took a deep inhale, tasting the chemical change of my body spicing the air. A low growl resonated from within his chest, his body responding to my interest. In the gloom, his lupine colored orbs sliding open had the same effect as a scorching sunrise, his gold irises bright and dangerous to stare into.

I sucked in a breath. My heart quickening with anticipation. With everything going on, it was truly a wonder that I wasn't huddled in a corner eating my own hair from the stress. Luckily, my mates were an excellent distraction.

Osh'ikeille remained perfectly still, watching me in that calculating predatory way that always left me lost between trepidation and arousal. The bastard had me squirming and hadn't even lifted a damn finger. I found the experience to be pure torture which he sensed and found amusing. Osh liked playing mind games, and right now he was tormenting me for almost forcing him to kill me before I went nuclear and annihilated everyone yesterday.

"So do you think the others will come?" I asked lazily tracing the white diamond shapes leading from his hips to his groin. For some reason, I'd gotten it into my head that I was the only human brave enough to take on a Yautja as a mate. Finding out there were others made me feel a tiny bit less special but at the same time, I wasn't alone! There were others just as crazy as I was! So after much yelling, because Uzkielle was still being a stubborn ass, Osh and I sent word to the other mated pairs. Now we just had to hope they'd respond.

"Sei-i." He answered curtly. I masked a devilish smile. Osh might be furious with me, but I doubted he'd be able to ignore the straining perfection laying against his belly much longer.

My nails blazed a teasing path further south, intentionally brushing his throbbing shaft on their way to play with the swell of his testicles beneath the skin. Unlike most mammals, a Yautja's bits don't dangle (snicker), so they don't free ball it 'cause they can't. And considering some of the downright slutty armor they wore, I'd say its a handy bit of evolution (not to mention aesthetically more pleasing in my opinion), otherwise, they'd likely be running around with gonads the size of coconuts! Ha! How much would that suck to chase down prey with those bouncing off your thighs!

I smirked. It was a funny mental image.

Taking a slight detour, I walked my fingers down a path of bite scars that created an almost perfect circle around his left thigh. The heavy muscle tensed and quivered, excited by the playful scratch of my nail. Oddly, Osh hadn't already taken back control of the situation yet. I've never been able to study his (or Uz's) pretty bits this closely for more than a few seconds before he thoroughly educated me on their use. I bit my lip. Fighting the desire to meet those penetrating wolf golds fixed on the nape of my neck. We would both come undone if I did that, and I wanted the anticipation to keep on mounting. Cause _gawd damn_ , angry sex with Osh was fucking _hot_! Hell, it was hot with Uzkielle too!

 _I think I've developed a dangerous appetite._

A plan began to blossom in my mind. A devious little plan. Of course, my traitorous pulse leapt with excitement forewarning my mate that I was up to something. I snaked a leg over him, slowly sliding my way across his thighs until I was straddling them. Our eyes met, and his throaty warning growl only encouraged me. Bending at the middle, I draped myself over him. Keeping eye contact, I gave him my best bad bitch smile. I wanted him to watch. And there was no better way to get a Yautja's attention then by flashing him some teeth.

I grabbed his thighs, the thick muscles jumping as I dug my nails in. His growl deepened to the point it was almost soundless, but the delicious vibrations sent a pulse straight from my nips to my core. I gasped and my thighs clenched in response. My god if I lost the battle of wills first, I might as well have my woman card revoked!

So I traded one of his thighs for his straining erection and gave it a loving squeeze. Pleasure spiraled through me as he roared, his need so great liquid pearls formed at the head of his cock.

Sensing his movement, I placed my other hand on his chest and growled. "Not yet."

His mandibles flared, teeth gnashed together in a feral snarl.

"Not yet," I repeated, raking his chest, so he knew I meant business. Osh was losing it, only a thin gold band of his irises remained. The animal side of his brain had all but taken over. But that sliver of gold light ringing the pupils meant that Osh was still in control.

 _Not for long..._

Holding the predator's gaze, I licked the little pearls of salty eagerness from my fingers. Osh exhaled a harsh breath, warning me that he was about to strike. Ignoring the sound, I swept my tongue along the underside side of his shaft making sure to occasionally scrape my teeth over the strange nubs running from base to tip. I often wondered about these tiny horn-shaped ridges. Perhaps in another time, the male Yautja's penis was armed with sharp barbs like a cats penis to keep the female from struggling so much (shudder). Considering how aggressive the females of Osh's species were, it made a sick kind of sense. Or maybe evolution (that smart cookie) thought to give males the best kind of weapon for dealing with angry females. _Ribbed for her pleasure._ I grinned. One day I'd have to ask.

Straddling Osh, holding the evidence of this fierce predator's throbbing need for me in my hands made me feel powerful and stirred up something unfamiliar and foreign. A desire I never even knew I had because I had Danny. It was alien and scary and weirdly exciting all at once. What's more, I wouldn't be in it alone. I had _two_ mates now, and they were both very capable of taking care of me and Danny and whatever else the future held. Males of Osh's species didn't really have a strong paternal instinct, yet they mother henned the shit out of Danny...

My eyes slid open, and I found Osh'ikeille staring back at me. And as the desire ignited into a painful yearning, I forfeited the battle of wills. Osh could see it. Hell, he could taste it. "Osh..."

My mate silenced me with a snarl, flipped our positions, and buried himself so deeply the pleasure center of my brain lit up like a roman-fucking-candle!

So yeah, that's how I ended up with my insides being plundered with more cock than a dirty Playboy magazine. And long after my bones had liquified from the heat and friction, and Osh'ikeille had up and vanished, I lay curled in our berth in a warm haze, musing about the future.

It's strange. Aside from the first time Osh and I had sex, I never once worried about getting pregnant. Did some part of my brain just assume it couldn't happen? Or maybe... maybe it never occurred to me because the thought simply didn't bother me... whoa... I think, I just blew my own mind.

I smiled in the darkness, turned on my side and curled into a ball. Giggling when I thought of making a mobile with tiny skulls, and... and... my eyes popped open. In all this time, I've never gotten pregnant. I've had sex with both my mates... uh, saying thousands of times feels like I'm bragging. Hundreds. We've had sex hundreds of times!

I turned onto my back and frowned up at the ceiling. It's not for a lack of trying, that's for damn sure. Especially whenever I went into "heat" as Osh would say. Yautja males may not be paternally driven, however, producing strong warriors was in itself just another way for a male to show off his strength. So every time I went into heat, my mates, er well, it's only been Osh up until this recent cycle, have always in a sense _tried_ to get me pregnant.

 _And you're just realizing this now? Wow, dense much, Neens?_

Okay, so I was a little obtuse, but come on! They're aliens for crying out loud! I don't remember there ever being an _Animal Planet_ special on the Yautja!

Sighing, I laid a hand on my belly, feeling strangely emptier than I ever have in my life...

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, I know what y'all are thinking, and no, having a baby of my own is not what prompted Nina's desire... okay, maybe a little bit. But I have been working on this particular piece of the story since the beginning. Going back and forth with the whole "Should I?" "Shouldn't I?" dance, until I finally figured it out, and I think the outcome will surprise you all ;D Thanx for reading! Please share your thoughts by hitting the pretty blue review button ;)**

 **Important note: I have no idea what Yautja sex organs really look like. And honestly, other than mating habits, I don't recall ever reading anything in the novels or graphic novels about a Yautja's swing-swong ;) I think I read a Yautja's testicles are on the inside but all I really had to go off of was a model of a naked Yautja that was "supposedly" used for the AvP movie (never made it into the film though). If anyone knows for sure and could tell me where to find the info you're welcome to PM me.**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: Yup! Yup! Thanx! :D**

 **angel897: Excited that you liked it! Thanx :)**

 **Tenfangirl: I know! Now that my writing time is so limited I've been super focused! Lol XD I wrote Nina and Danny having an argument when he's able to tower over her! Ha! I love teenage Danny XD Nina does not share my enthusiasm. Anyway, thanx, girl!**

 **hellfire45: I can hardly wait to post that chapter! I've been working on the other mated pairs for a while. Thanx for the love :)**

 **silverwinterwhite: Awe, thank you! You're so sweet! I'm still grinning XD**

 **OptimusPrimesWife1: Lol, I can't tell you the future of the story! But I really like the mated pairs I will be introducing later ;D Thanx for the love!**

 **DeadlyNightshade97: Oh it's so about to hit the fan! XD Lol, thanx!**

 **Life Death rabidlovingfangirl: Lol, well if you ever do find time to write one let me know. I bet you have awesome ideas! All the best to you and LunarKitty! And thanx for the love! XD**

 **Guest: OMG, THANK YOU! What's funny is I don't really read romance, but for some reason, I enjoy the heck out of writing it XD Out of all of the Yautja I've created, Uz is probably my fav so far. Although, Kazai'sa is a close second. Thanx for the love!**

 **EverWandering14: Thanx! Hope you enjoyed the update :D**

 **Curlyshy123: Aaaaaawe! You got me right in the feels XD Thanxs so much for the compliment and the love! :)**

 **Arbitrator11: Nope! I had a different smexy surprise in store! But don't you worry, Osh and Uz's Sire is quite the bad boy ;D Thanx for the love!**


	43. Chapter 43

**DEATH BY SNOO SNOO!**

 _Seriously, Nina, what the fuck is wrong with you?!_

Okay, so after coming down from the endorphin high reality checked back in. Nasty stuff reality, always sneaking up on me, it must be in business with fate considering how screwed up everything was. First, we're uprooted from our home (god, how I missed Louisiana), then I get mind-jacked by an alien who turns me into the psycho-chic version of Thor and wants me to kill a xeno queen described as a world eater, and then (you know 'cause things were already so peachy-fucking-keen) my biological clock or whatever sprung the baby fever on me- _now!_ Now?! As in right before we face said world eater who obliterated her creators! Ha! Ya, no pressure, or anything! It just might be the end of the world but hey!- let's have a freaking baby!

 _Cripes, Nina! Did you take one to many headers when Osh was drilling you to the wall?!_

Growling, I bolted up from the berth. Who needs sleep anyway am I right?

Grabbing my favorite T (dear god, the zombie was looking more ghoulish than pinup at this point), I'd just managed to slip it on when a strong hand encircled my wrist. I met Osh's bright golds in the gloom. He must've sensed my restlessness. Although, a human would've simply asked "what's wrong" Osh merely gave me measuring look and expected me to answer the unspoken question. Huh, I wonder when we got to the point that verbal communication was no longer required. I certainly never had that with any human I ever dated.

Warm, fuzzy affection flooded my veins. I really did adore this Klingon reject. It was moments like this I wished the Yautja had lips. There was something just so intimate about the simple act of kissing and how it managed to convey everything you're feeling.

 _But that's okay._

A tiny smile quirked my lips as I leaned over and nuzzled his neck knowing that this action was about as intimate as a Yautja could get. Letting me get close like this proved how much he trusted me. He didn't really even stiffen anymore. I kissed the thick jugular vein, and he gave an encouraging growl.

"Go back to sleep," I said. My words accompanied by a soft giggle as he gripped my bare thigh with his other hand. "I just need to clear my head."

Growl deepening in displeasure, Osh put himself in the dominant position by raising up off the berth and locking his elbow forcing me to tilt my head back in order to meet his eyes. It was a power move. A sexy one, but a power move nonetheless.

I snorted, "You think that'll work on me?" Okay, it totally would, and I suspected he knew it too, but since he was still kind of peeved at me, and not really in a playful mood, it came as no surprise when he chuffed and rubbed the underside of his jaw on the top of my head. Not an affectionate gesture er, well, not in the way humans think of affection. It was a claim meaning _'_ _this is mine'._

I rolled my eyes and bulldozed him. He grunted, unamused by my antics, but not resisting as I playfully pinned him to the berth. I perched on his chest and kissed the love scratches I'd left there earlier. Heat returned to his eyes, acknowledging my claim. The hand on my thigh flexed, the possessive touch sweltering and ready to switch our position.

"Uh-uh-uh," I purred. Untangling myself before I fell head over lust again. Quick like a bunny, I leapt off the berth and silently told my naughty hands to behave. Osh made a discontented noise in the back of his throat, however, he seemed to recognize that I needed some space and resettled himself like a big jungle cat. I smiled as I sighed and slipped out of the room. Luckily, I'd been dealing with Osh, if that had been Uz, he would've pinned me to the floor. And considering how I _zapped_ his ego, he probably would've just sat on me while I screamed at him...

...

I explored the ship for a bit. Poking my nose in areas I had no business poking or even knew existed. And since it was "nighttime" on the Predator, I got a little thrill out of wandering around in the dark. The headroom was extra creepy drenched in shadow, and I think I would've giggled and squealed in glee if some movie monster were to pop out instead of screaming... yeah, let's not test that.

I spun around completely ready to face... huh, the boogieman hadn't shown up. _That's not like him._ I'd been ready for Uzkielle to manifest out of thin air and scare the bejeezus outta me. Frowning, I left the headroom to search for him. Now that I was thinking about it, it was kind of odd that I hadn't run into him at all. Not that I was looking forward to the inevitable confrontation that would consist of: "Raar! Me heap big warrior! You tiny ooman!" Thumps chest with a fist. "Not fair fight." And then he would proceed to drag my ass to the kehrite to prove a point. _Ugh... Is it too late to slip back into bed with Osh?_

Yes, it was. Because upon entering the cockpit, I found my surly mate sitting in the pilot chair deep in thought. So deep, it took him several moments to acknowledge my presence, and all I got was a quick indifferent glance, and then he zoned out again. The fact that I didn't even receive a hackle-raising growl for reeking of sex and his brother was highly disconcerting. He _hates_ that.

 _What. The. Shit?!_

I've never seen Uzkielle this way before. And it was freaking me the fuck out!

"Hey," I said. Keeping my voice soft and footsteps purposely noisy. This was new territory for me. I've learned to deal with the cantankerous idgit. I could handle loud, nasty, egotistical, narciss- okay, I'm straying a bit. A tiny bit. Microscopic really. Anyway, I could handle angry Uzkielle but this? I didn't even know what _this_ was. I've never seen him so... so serious. It was kind of terrifying. Who would've thought a quiet Uzkielle could be scarier than a pissed off one?

The control panels he sat in front of were in hibernation mode, and their muted glow intensified the furrow of his hooded brow, deepened the sharp lines of his cut physique, and exaggerated the length of his talons and tusks. Facing forward, spine rigid against the seat, forearms on the rests with hands unconsciously curling and uncurling into fists, Uzkielle showed no outward sign he'd heard me.

 _Is he... ignoring me?_

Oh, this would not end well for him if he was. "Hey, Lo," I said a little louder. The last time I called him Lo was the day my mother shot me. I haven't actually thought of him as Lobomon in a long time, but for some weird reason, the Yautja I was looking at right now felt like Lobomon to me. And without conscious volition, my feet stopped then took a step back.

Slowly in that creepy way, only reptiles can move, Uzkielle's mismatched orbs narrowed, slipped to me, then his head followed as an ominous growl rolled through the room.

"Stop that," I chastised, ignoring the sensation of ants marching up my spine and boldly crawled up into his lap. _My god, what is wrong with me today?_ Uzkielle wouldn't hurt me, but he might dump my ass on the floor. The growl deepened, and I thumped his bare chest with the back of my fist. "You don't scare me, Lo." He does. And he knew it.

The heavy machinery thrum of his laughter skittered over my skin raising the fine hairs. I hadn't expected that. A scoff I expected. A snarl followed by my ass kissing the floor that I expected. Not a laugh. He surprised me again by wrapping his arms around me and nuzzling my neck. I heard a sharp inhale then he backtracked, jerking his head away with a snarl of distaste.

I giggled, relieved that the danger I thought I'd sensed had passed. Mischievously, I fanned my fingers through my hair knowing full well it would make the smell stronger. "You like? I call this scent Death By Snoo Snoo." I was dying inside. My god how I missed tv!

Uzkielle did not appreciate the humor at his expense and shoved me. I anticipated this reaction, grabbed his arm and used the force he'd generated to swing myself around and straddle him. Uzkielle blinked. Impressed.

I smirked in triumph and nuzzled his chest, nipping him when the ornery bastard rumbled something foul about my scent. "Shut up and deal with it."

More cursing, but eventually he settled down and even fiddled with my hair. No. Not my hair. I pulled back a little to see him inspecting the ring he'd given me woven into the braids. A familiar coldness in his hard expression I haven't seen since... that's what it was. That's why he felt like Lobomon. And I didn't like.

Time to take a swift dive off a cliff. "Uz... what's wrong? I thought you'd be furious after I put you on your ass."

Uzkielle made a noncommittal chirr ignoring my attempt to bait him into a fight.

"Holy bug nuts," I rose up on my knees, grabbed the sides of his face and headbutted him. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Uzkielle?" _You're scaring me!_

Uzkielle woke up from wherever the hell he'd been and seized my hands hard enough to make me wince. Irritation rattled in his throat, but he must've seen the unspoken words in my eyes because the severity of his face softened.

"I don't like this."

 _Why the hell am I getting choked up? Pull it together, Nina!_

"I'd rather have you mad and snarling for a fight than whatever this is!" Teeth gritted, I looked away from him before I did something stupid like cry. Damn it. Too late.

 _God, why am I such a girl?!_

My body tensed as he shifted. This time I wouldn't fight if he pushed me away. But instead, he surprised me again by maneuvering me so that he could get his comp unit between us. A holovid came up and started to play. I blinked at it a couple times only to bite the inside of my cheek when I realized what it was. It was a recording. I saw myself clutching my head screaming. I sank to my knees. Osh held Danny by the arm to keep him from running to me. At first, there were only little pops and snaps of energy, but as my screaming grew louder the power swelled and wave after wave of arks crackled over my body. The lighting began to flicker, and the very ship began to quake. Osh'ikeille roared something to Uzkielle in the Yautja tongue, and Uzkielle made a hostile gesture in return.

 _Oh... my... god..._

I didn't need a translator to know what had been said. In that moment, I'd forced Osh'ikeille to choose between my life and all of theirs. _No wonder he's so freaking mad at me!_ The recording went grainy, and I realized it was because stupid tears were filling my eyes. I angrily wiped them away and forced myself to keep watching. My mates were arguing, Osh trying to get Uz to see the real danger, and Uz aggressively blocking his path.

 _You should've let him, Uz..._

In the next instant, the recording went white from the intense light, and then I saw Bagheera. The wound in my arm stung with the memory of his teeth sinking into my flesh. Both of my mates turned on the big alien cat with the intent to kill, even though Osh had been ready to do it himself I guess the instinct to protect me was stronger. Uzkielle reached for Bagheera, and that's when I lifted my bowed head, screamed, and thrust a charge at Uzkielle and sent him flying.

"Okay!" I snapped. "I've seen enough! I get i-"

Uzkielle yanked me forward, pinning my wrists behind me in one hand while the other pressed into my back. "Thought you dead!" he bellowed. Then he shook his head violently, sending his dreads swinging.

Okay, apparently I didn't get it. But I was starting too. I licked my lips. "When you woke up, you thought because you were alive that I was... dead?"

The hand at my back slid under my locked arms, pulling me closer to him until my head was bowed at his shoulder. He traced a path along the vertebrae to the nape of my neck and dropped his head to my ear. "Sei-i..." He drew back a little and touched his forehead to mine.

The silence that descended stretched for a lifetime, and even though I was content with the idea of remaining pressed against him for forever the blasted plate of armor on the outside of his left thigh was digging into a very _ahem_ sensitive part of me. "Uz-"

"Ssshould kill you..." The hand at my nape became a restraint, claws biting into my throat.

I froze. Afraid to even breath.

* * *

 **A/N: The end is nigh! Still several chapters more to go but this story does have an end ;)**

 **Tenfangirl: I will keep on rock'n if you keep on loving it ;D**

 **hellfire45: Oh, the plans, the plans that I have for this fic ;) Thanks for the love!**

 **Life Death rabidlovingfangirl: And thank you for spreading that love ;) I'm thrilled to pieces that my story is a source of inspiration! Stay beautiful!**

 **Angel897: ANGEL! Oh, you are a light! Thanx for the love!**

 **KTCameleon: Haha, I knew you'd love that ;D I was waiting for you to squeal XD Again congrats to your aunt and uncle :) And Danny would be an excellent big brother!**

 **equipagan: Aaaaawe! Thank you so much for the compliment! I worked really hard to make the poly as believable as possible. I can't wait to intriduce the others!**

 **Vakrin: Hey, I'm biased too. Oh, and it is so gonna rock the world ;D Thanx my friend!**

 **Guest: You're not the only one to think that. I've considered it but we'll see what happens ;) Thanx!**

 **Venom is my poison: Haha! You'd have to fight the big bads mate for him ;D Aaah! I'm so excited by your excitement I can hardly stand it! I can not wait to bring in the other pairs! Thanx for the love!**

 **TigrisRawr: Ah! Thanx for the compliment! I haven't had the chance to watch it yet. Four month olds and theaters don't mix well. I'm slightly apprehensive with all the bad news that's cropped up around the movie and fans trashing it. But I am a fan, and I will watch it even if its utter poop!**

 **DeadlyNightshade97: But of course! :D**

 **sousie: Haha, oh you bad girl! ;)**


	44. Chapter 44

**Slay Me**

"Uz..ki..elle.." A shuddering whisper.

Uzkielle drank in my fear with a sharp inhale and growled in a warbly gator kind of way that did the strangest things to my insides. How could such a predatory sound cause me to go limp? As the _wisdom_ of every slasher movie I ever watched urged me to be the stupid blonde and run, my instincts kept a firm grip on my kneejerk reaction to reach for the fureres power in order to defend myself. And then the hand digging into my nape suddenly twisted in my hair and bent my neck, exposing it to him.

 _The blonde always dies you, idiot!_

"Ssshould kill you..." he growled again.

 _Oh, god! Oh, fuck! What-_

Dark melodic laughter, "... make you p _aaa_ y." Warm and wet, his tongue slithered over my thudding pulse. I whimpered, then gasped when he abruptly released the nape of my neck and without warning fire branded my unprotected sex with his talons.

Teasing, gentle, somehow he managed to penetrate without tearing the sensitive flesh. My walls tightened at the sudden invasion. This unforeseen turn of events left my mind stuck in the headlights but my body sure as shit knew how to react. Every part of me, every cell, every muscle fiber was hyper-aware and attuned to him.

"Uz... ka... wha- nah..." Okay, let's try that again. I gave myself a mental slap. "Uzkielle what ar-" The finger inside me curled and a breathy moan burst from my lips as the tip of his talon skimmed over the sweet spot. My hips wantingly bucked at his hand. I should've known that when Uzkielle threatened to kill me, he literally intended to slay me.

Excited by my passion coating his finger and my sudden raw need for him. The smoldering metal and earthy musk that was unique to Uzkielle grew stronger with his arousal. If possible, the heavy thrum of his laughter deepened, becoming something primal and deliciously terrifying as it rekindled the yearning to bear my mates' children and set it on fire.

The Yautja do not respond to words of love. But Uzkielle didn't need me to say a damn thing. Not when my eager little hormones were doing the Flashdance, and the fragrance of my need changed.

Uzkielle stiffened. A hissing growl rattled in his throat unlike anything I've ever heard before, and I was panic-stricken as the finger inside me slid out. My arms jerked to reach for him, but the hand that still held my wrists behind me was iron.

 _Nononono! Please, Uzkielle, don't do this to me!_ The words were stuck in my throat. I was so distraught, I was almost sobbing when my mate collected me to him and rose up out of the pilot's chair.

"Yeyin Thwei," he admonished tightly, effectively silencing my feeble cry of protest. Hot, really hot, shaking from the effort, it dawned on me that Uzkielle was fighting his urge to simply just fuck me right then and there. Curious now, I lifted a hand and traced the hard plains of his bare chest, it shuddered under my touch and his mandibles spread as he clenched his teeth. And when he finally looked at me, the heat in his mismatched orbs seared my wet and ready channel as if he was inside me, filling me, stretching me.

Uzkielle bent his head, a growly-purr humming in his throat as he touched his forehead to mine. I almost laughed at the affectionate gesture, but then we were suddenly moving, and before I could even begin to puzzle over why he bothered to leave the cockpit, we were in the trophy room.

Mystified by his motive, I tucked my body into him a little tighter. And while I tried in vain to understand the purposeful gate of his long powerful legs, he'd crossed the room in four strides. He ripped a decorative red leather cord from an alien spear mounted on the wall, situated me on the crest of a carnivore that was the lovechild of a queen Harvester and a triceratops, bound my hands and tied them to another trophy above my head. Then he took it a step too far, and with the quick flash of a knife, he slit the zombie pinup shirt from throat to crotch, revealing my breasts to him. In the time it took my brain to slog its way out of the shock to form a protest, he'd spread my legs over the skulls antlers. Completely and utterly exposing all of me to him.

"What the hell, Uzkielle!" I struggled against the restraints. My daddy's dog tags clinking in time to the sharp jerks. "That was my favorite shirt!"

 _"... make you paaay..."_ I stilled. Overcome with insatiable need when his digit entered me, I hadn't given the threat a second thought at the time.

 _Oh. My. God._ My eyes snapped to his, and the smug satisfaction in those mismatched orbs confirmed it. "You planned this!"

Laughter. Pleased with his own shit, self-satisfied _laughter_ filled me with a black fury hell wouldn't know what to do with. And _lust_. Heaven help me, I was in lust with this egotistical fridiot. Osh'ikeille is safety and control. Uzkielle is a dangerous temptation with the power to cause angels to fall from grace for just one night with him. I've never thought of myself as a "good girl" and when it was just me and Danny, I never had time to consider being the "bad girl". But with Uzkielle, I wanted to be _bad_.

 _Fine. Two can play this game._

I lunged for him. Bound I didn't quite have the range, but Uzkielle made the mistake of thinking that because I was tied up that I was at his mercy. Uzkielle leapt back with a snarl, his teeth bared. I'd only grazed him, not even enough to draw blood, but my tongue slid across teeth as if I had. His eyes tracked the movement, and a low guttural noise rattled in his chest.

I laughed. Deep and throaty. A taunt. And it was a siren call to the beast. Uzkielle surge forward all traces of play gone. His steamy breath fanned my neck, his magnificently rampant frame eclipsing the room, filling my world with nothing but him. And distantly, I heard the clatter of armor hitting the floor.

Rough hands grabbed my thighs, his talons scraping skin as he flexed his strength. I hissed. Body tensing as his tusks brushed the erratic pulse in my neck. "Yeyin Thwei..."

Danger lurked in the barely audible growl. And it was my only warning before he joined our bodies in an explosive upward thrust that had me biting his thick pectoral muscle to silence a scream of distress and rapture. Mandibles spread, he growled and pushed into me further still, slower, coaxing the tightened walls to greedily take all of him. Only when he was fully seated inside me did Uzkielle check on me with a gentle nudge to my sweaty forehead and a low chirr.

I blinked up, searching, and found his silver orb in my periphery. A snarl lifted the corners of my mouth around a panting growl, and I bit down harder. Tit for tat I said with my eyes. Uzkielle's mandibles opened in a grin, the way a dog grins at you before he snaps.

Jaw aching from the hold, I released him. Breaths choppy as I grinned right back in an open taunt. Snarling he took it as an invitation, he reached up with one hand to grab my bound wrists and the other tangled in my hair as he began thrusting to the primal rhythm that beats within every living thing. Heh, we're all animals here.

Uzkielle abandoned the control he'd miraculously held onto up to this point, and wildly slammed into me. Every plunge a crashing wave inside me driving me ever closer to the brink of madness. The deep ache in my heart returned full force and twice as brutal. The scent of my arousal must've changed, alerting Uzkielle of my desire because it drove his sexual fury even higher.

A fierce orgasm built inside of me. On instinct I arched into him, my hips lifting as I fought the restraints. Not being able to touch him was the most barbaric form of torture he'd ever inflicted on me. Each merciless upward stroke of his exquisite thickness was more powerful than the last until I couldn't take the punishment anymore and a scream ripped from my throat as my blood-rushing climax tore through me. The fiery peak had my walls convulsing and clenching down on him so hard Uzkielle found an equally powerful release a second later with an uninhibited roar of satisfaction.

Pulsing, filling me with the seed of life, Uzkielle pumped a few more times then dropped his head to mine and went still. Residual sensation from being overstimulated continued to course through me causing me to twitch and shiver. My arms ached, and my chin rested on my sweaty chest.

"Uzkielle..." My breath whispered in shallow gasps from my lungs.

Uzkielle made a non-committal grunt, his chest blazing hot against my forehead.

"Are their gods in the Yautja lore?"

I felt his jaw tick, indicating I'd confused him with the strange question. He leaned back to get a better look at my face, eliciting a groan from me as our intimate connection was severed by the movement. I lifted my head catching his eyes. "That was my favorite shirt, Uzkielle," I growled. "Humans have an old saying... payback's a bitch."

Like distant thunder, a humorless chuckle rumbled deep within his chest. Placing his hands on my thighs, he lowered himself to my level, his mismatched orbs glowing with challenge. "B _rrrr_ ing it..."

...

"We're comin' up on the NAV point!" Danny chirped. One hand on the controls and the other resting on Baymax's head. With Bagheera standing next to our resident werewolf. That was a little surprising. My mates' never much cared for the big alien cat, and Bagheera coolly avoided territorial disputes by staying out the areas they frequented. But I guess, maybe after seeing how it was healthier to keep him around, they'd relaxed somewhat.

"Any signs of life," I asked.

Uzkielle huffed in irritation. Oh, right. Apparently, I shorted out a couple grids several days ago during my... uh... light show (sounds better than meltdown). Oops. At least I hadn't crippled the Predator.

Lips pursed at the memory, I crossed my arms and stared at the viewer. The World Eaters head reared in my mind, her brilliant white braincase splashed a telling phosphorescent green. I frowned. What had Pichu been trying to show me? Had that really been a vision of the future? Did that mean when we got to the NAV point we'd find ourselves in BadBlood territory? What then? None of the other mated pairs had bothered to contact us, and I was beginning to worry we might be in this alone.

 _Which would be suicide._

I closed my eyes warring with my desire to save the planet of our birth, where our friends still lived, and the instinct to run in order to protect those who held my heart.

 _Trey, Ian, Tilly, Glynda..._ Guilt stabbed me. I hadn't thought about them in so long. _And now that we're so close... they're literally within our reach, and here I'm thinking about abandoning them?_

My eyes slid open, and Pichu sat on the console in front of me. Her big pearly orbs blinked once, twice. She scuttled a little closer to the edge and gave me a warbly little _peep peep_. Bagheera was suddenly at my side, evidently aware of my intention before I was. I gently picked up Pichu.

"Nina!" Danny shouted, "What're doing?!"

"Let me see," I said addressing Pichu. "Show me the World Eater."

Danny cries out to me again, but it is lost in the vacuum of space. Floating. No oxygen tanks. No protective suit. I'm just floating in the void near a familiar red planet I remembered so well from watching _The Martian_. I blink, and I've broken through the atmosphere. I spot acidalia planitia- _Ha! And they say movies aren't educational._ My twinge of pride fizzled as my eyes take in the World Eater. Resting.

I frowned. _This vision isn't like the last. It's more... real?_

The queen stirred. A strange frenetic tingle of fear sweeps over every inch of me, leaving me feeling oddly exposed. The World Eater lifts her head jaws opening slightly in a soundless hiss. She was watching me. I looked at my hands. What was this astral projection? Did she sense Pichu's intrusion?

I gulped. What if what I saw hadn't been a vision of the past or the future? What... what if I actually witnessed her escape as it was happening? That would mean-

The World Eater rose up on all fours, her tail whipping up a cloud of red dust as she screamed at me.

"Pichu! Pichu pull me back! Pull me-"

Arms snatched me right out of the void, binding me to a familiar warm, broad chest. Osh said something in the Yautja tongue, the command in his voice a spell. With it, I snapped the lid on the furere's power, aware somewhere in my mind that even though I'd reached for it, I hadn't lost control this time.

Osh rested his jaw on top of my head. An irritated chirr in his throat as a zillion minor stings of static cracked between us. He sighed, sounding put out. Not that I blamed him.

Danny was the first to break the silence. "Sooooo? Out with it already?! What did you see?"

Behind the candid little Soot Sprite, I caught sight of the lazily pulsing NAV point which raised all sorts of new questions. What had I seen? If what I saw was, in fact, the queen's current position then how the heck did she do it? Last I checked, aside from advanced alien tech which did include the Yautja, no living thing can fly several light years in a matter of days, and I'd only seen the slaughter a few days ago.

"I... I have no idea. I mean. I saw the queen- the queen!" I spun in Osh's arms. "Osh she's already there!"

His bright golds narrowed. Yeah. He just did the mental math too.

Uzkielle strode over, gaze assessing not just what I'd said but also where his brother's hands were. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Ou surrre," he asked, his tongue drumming the R.

"Yes," I managed without making a crack. Huh, maybe Osh's control was rubbing off on me. "I saw her. And I... I'm not entirely sure about this, but I think I _sensed_ the Earth's hum of life through her. Regardless of how she got there so dang fast, she knows there's plenty of resources there in order to feed and multiply. We should go-" I looked up at Osh. Desperate. "-now."

The gentle vibrations of his purr soothed the distressed tempo of my heart. He shook his head, "M-di." His mandibles worked like he was trying to form the words. "N _eee_ d to learn what 'e can 'ere."

"What good will that do us besides maybe tell us how a one hundred ton xeno, with wings, managed to pull a fucking Houdini?!"

The purring stopped, and Osh gave me _that_ look.

"Fine!" I surrendered. He was right. Dammit, I knew he was right. I just didn't want to give that bitch more time to get comfortable on our planet.

"Guys..." Danny ominously dragged the word out.

We all turned. "What?" I asked.

"You might wanna look at this..." Danny made a gesture like shooing a fly away and the image expanded on the viewer.

I'm not sure what I expected to see. A black floating fortress of some kind with a skull and crossbones flag proudly proclaiming "here there be BadBlood assholes" but as the image panned, drawing closer to the vessel, what I saw was something almost... organic. As if the ship had once been a magnificent beast swimming through space, only now it lay broken, forcefully beached on the sheer cliffs of a small mountainous planet. At this distance, it could've been a toy that met its end at the whim of a pissed off child who smashed it then forgot it. Except, I knew better. The thin atmosphere allotted us a clearer visual of the surface, and when the zoom brought us in for an even closer look, a solemn stillness swept through the room. Even with a light dusting of the deceptively pretty apricot colored mineral covering the majority of the rough landscape, no one had any trouble figuring out what the lumps were. We did not weep for the dead, but its hard to get passed dozens of desiccated corpses baking under the sun and not all of them adults. I forgot that the meaning of the term clan was also family. You don't have a choice when it comes to the family you're born into but BadBlood or not, I couldn't help the souring in my stomach when my eyes picked out the smaller lumps, and my imagination tried to supply cute little crabby-Cthulhu faces.

Without a word, I stepped up to the console, leaned over my brother's shoulder, and panned out until it was only a broken toy again. Danny blinked, looking a little green. What we were facing finally hit home for him. I glanced back at the toy, eyes narrowing. Something about the picture was wrong.

My gaze slid to my mates' to try and interpret their reactions. Uzkeille busied himself at another console, perhaps preparing his drones for the surface mission. My eyes traveled to Osh, who was checking the readouts of the scans on his comp unit. Feeling my attention, he lifted his head, and I could tell the same thing that was bugging me was bugging him too, but neither of us could explain the feeling.

 _Only one way to find out._

We weren't completely blind. The visual feed showed nothing moving on the surface, 'course that's not saying much, but it was something. I would feel better knowing for sure none of our enemies still drew breath, but since I knocked out the bio-scanners we were gonna have to take a risk. "We're going in with one eye closed, but Osh is right, we need to see what's down there. Danny-" My brother puffed up his chest. Ready for action. "-you're staying here." And deflated.

"What?!"

Typical Danny outburst, only before I could drop some authority on his ass, the kid surprised me. Hell, he surprised us all. Danny closed his mouth, and I could actually see him taking a mental step back.

"Okay," he finally said. The stiff set of his jaw practically rebuked the word. He wanted to argue, but his emerald orbs showed an incredible amount of respect as they settled on my stunned expression.

 _Holy... shit..._

Ever since I got Danny back from the avian alien, he'd shown remarkable strides in discipline. He'd related the full story to me, but I had no idea the experience had such an effect on him.

"But I also vote Lobomon stay," Danny continued.

Uz scoffed.

"Actually, Uz, Danny may have point."

Uzkielle hadn't bothered turning around at Danny's suggestion 'cause he had no intention of staying. Now, he had a reason too. Slowly he spun my way, arms crossed over his chest, and his brow set in a severe "fuck you" dip over the glower he speared me with.

I lifted my chin. "Do any of the knocked out systems hinder us from making a jump?" My brow arched to help drive the point home. "The World Eater has already beaten us there."

 _And a lot of people are gonna die before we can do jack shit!_

The words were unspoken but they all filled in the gaps for themselves and it hung in the room like the blade of a guillotine about to fall.

"Uz, you have to stay." I didn't make the mistake of asking. With Uz, I've learned I have to be direct, and this time I didn't bother borrowing some of Osh's alpha mojo. I didn't need to anymore.

My brows flew into my hairline as Uzkielle smirked, shoulders shaking with laughter as if he'd been caught off guard by a particularly funny joke then broadside me with a look of reverence I'd only ever seen him make when referencing the matriarch. But of course, this was Uzkielle so he ruined it by turning and flipping me the bird as he stalked out of the room, presumably to head off and fix the grids.

My first reaction was to call after him and warn him against getting into an obscene gesture fight with a southern spitfire. Except as I watched the ginormous asshole disappear from sight it hit me, in his own warped way, Uzkielle had just said he trusted me to take care of myself. I smiled and shook my head.

 _Idgit... 'Bout damn time!_

From the corner of my eye, I saw Danny's head swing from where Uzkielle had exited to me and mimed dropping the mic. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.

A communication alert chirped softly, and I wiped the stupid grin from my face, and immediately looked to Osh, curious and hopeful.

Osh met my eyes, and his weighted response left me more anxious than happy. "Wolf..."

Wolf... the legend himself. According to Osh, his human mate gave him that name when they met during a Xenomorph outbreak somewhere in Colorado. And to be honest, considering their less than pleasant history, I wasn't sure I wanted Uzkielle and Ra'zele aka Wolf in the same galaxy, let alone the same vessel. But despite their ugly past, I had to wonder if Uzkielle still resented his sire. After all, he mated a human too.

I sighed. _If it ain't one shit storm, it's another..._

* * *

 **A/N: Oh, yes, Ra'zele is Wolf from AVPR and the comics. I actually did an AVPR rewrite which is how these Wolf and Eve came together but it's not posted. Yet. Wolf and Eve even made an appearance in my other story Deadly Curiosities (Chapter 9, bottom half) ;D SPOTLIGHT! If you're a fan of werewolves (and the sexy is implied there XD) check out Alpha Kaleigh written by TigrisRawr! **

**Vakrian: Hey, V! Ah, you know you love my mean little cliffhangers XD**

 **KTCameleon: LMAO, I got such a kick out of your response. As if Uzkielle would kill his beloved! But I do so love the drama ;D Haha, Nina really is living in a Soap Opera. XD Thanx, girl!**

 **Desert: Haha cause I'm mean and it was funny ;D**

 **sousie: Hehe what did you think of Nina's punishment? ;D**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: Thanx! Yeah, the chapter just begged for a little suspense at the end :D**

 **Tenfangirl: Good! Really hope you enjoyed this chapter too! Hehe, I've got a little surprise next chapter ;D**

 **TigrisRawr: Hey, girl! Ugh. Yeah, I've heard it was a real stinker, but I'll see it anyway. Omg, and you wouldn't believe how close I came to spilling the beans when we were PMing! But I'm glad I didn't :)**

 **angel897: Thanx, angel! :D**

 **NadiaKrum: Thank you so much for the compliment! I appreciate it. Now, as far as Uz and Nina are concerned I know I focused a bit too much energy into getting them to this point. But now that they are finally in a good place things will even out with Osh. I know I neglected him a bit. But that'll change ;) And omg, wait till you see what I've got in store for this family next chapter XD**

 **Wild Birdie: Haha, I'm sorry, but I hope I made up for the cliffy ;) Hmmm will Danny collect any more strays? Maybe ;) But I think you'll be happy with what happens next XD**

 **Venom is my Poison: Lol! Did you expect Ra'zele to be Wolf? I didn't particularly like AvPR, but Wolf was the best thing to come out of that movie. So yes, Osh and Uz are technically from the same clan as Skar. Thanx for the love! :D**

 **Akari Wolf Prince: Okay, still smiling like mad here, you went on a tear with those reviews and can not thank you enough for the love. Seriously! The other day my phone kept dinging and ever time the crawl said "You've received a review from Akari Wolf Princess" my face exploded into a grin. *sighs* Yes, the end is near. But there's still another dozen chapters (I think). And don't you worry, I've got a surprise in the end ;)**


	45. Chapter 45

**One Thousand Birds**

"Wheeeeeeeeeen you're sliding into first

And your pants begin to burst

That's diarrhea," Danny blew a couple raspberries to simulate the fart noises, "diarrhea." Entirely too big for him, the boy sank back in the piloting chair, kicked his feet up on the console, and continued to serenade his sister via the comm. Waving his pointer fingers like conductor batons, he belted out the next verse.

"Wheeeeeeeeen you're sliding into two

And your pants are filled with goo

That's diarrhea-"

"Danny!" On the viewer, the cam feed from his sister's biomask was obscured by the hand that flew to her face in exasperation. Danny smiled. Watching the apricot colored world tilt back and forth as she shook her head. "Sing something else! Anything else! Even Osh fled in the opposite direction 'cause he couldn't stand hearing your voice through my comm!"

Danny giggled. Originally he'd planned to plant a piece of rotten fruit in the vents of her mask so she'd be stuck with the sickly sweet smell during the mission. Only, the dwarf planet had a tolerable atmosphere which meant Nina didn't necessarily have to wear her biomask. Danny decided he didn't want to risk Nina removing the mask to free herself of the foul odor. Not when the biomask fed her data about her environment and the potential danger. No. He wanted to punish his sister for making him stay, not cause her to be reckless. He sighed. Thinking like an adult sucked.

"Anything?" he asked with an innocent lilt to his voice. He watched his sister stumble and bit back a laugh as she cursed him under her breath. Beside him, Baymax sat with his ears perked, his lone ice blue orb studying Nina's mind-numbingly slow progress. Pichu, who sat atop Baymax's head, gave Danny a slow quizzical blink.

"I feel I'm doomed no matter how I answer that," Nina grumbled.

Danny giggled and tapped on his sister's holo feed then slid it to the background. Watching her stumble around had been entertaining for a while but the planet itself was boring. Nothing but sand and the occasional corpse that his sister purposely turned away from or covered the cam. The BadBloods' vessel still continued to burn and wasn't safe to enter. Not that there was enough of it left to really explore anyway, but Lobomon had wanted Pakkun to tap into the memory core if it somehow miraculously survived. Pakkun's theory was that the clan had had a falling out of some kind, likely over what the white queen would be used for, and the losers were the ones scattered halfway across the mountainous terrain. Even if that was the case, Pakkun still wanted to know the full scale of their plans.

Clearing his throat, Danny twirled an imaginary mic.

"Mmmbop, ba duba dop

Ba du bop, ba duba dop-"

"No! I take it back! I take it back!" Nina's shrill cry crackled over the comm. Nina's cam feed began to spin again as Uzkielle chose that moment to enter the cockpit. Uzkielle could hear Nina's cries of agony halfway across the Predator, but since the bleating sound lacked urgency, he'd taken his time surfacing from the bulkheads.

Uzkielle's brow ridge drew down in uncertainty. His mate seemed to be in distress, only Danny's laughing fit said it wasn't real peril. The hunter cocked his head and trilled at the boy.

Still laughing, Danny leaned forward and smiled at his overprotective dad. He momentarily muted the comm, silencing Nina's rant. "I'm torturing her for grounding us." Although he'd agreed to stay, and having Lobomon stay had been partially his idea, Danny hated being left behind and apparently, Lobomon agreed with him.

Uzkielle gave Danny a nod of approval to continue the torture then returned to work. His mate had done a thorough job of scrambling the mainframes network, it was a wonder the artificial gravity was working at all. And to _Paya_ , he swore her pain and suffering would know no end if he found one more fused microprocessor chip!

Grinning, Danny spun back to face the viewer and resumed as if he hadn't been interrupted.

"Ba du bop, ba duba dop

Ba du, yeah-e-yeah..."

A low chuffing-growl from Baymax, alerted Danny that something was amiss. He'd unmuted his sister, yet he couldn't hear her bitchy-whine anymore. He expanded her cam feed, he'd only had it playing in the background as he watched vids from some of Lobomon and Pakkun's previous hunts. Now Nina's view came into full focus, and Danny realized his sister had purposely killed their voice link, and with good reason too.

"Oh, shit..." he breathed. An almost painful prickle of goosebumps zipped from his toes to his scalp. "Lobomon!" Unsure which glowing red symbol to push to switch on the Predator's PA, Danny figured if Lobomon had heard Nina from the cockpit link then he should hear him calling at the top of his lungs because he dare not leave his sister alone. "Lobomon!"

...

 **Nina**

I shut down the voice connection, not wanting to attract attention. The dog had yet to take notice of Bagheera and I, and seemed pretty adamant about getting into a partially buried pipe. The pipe itself was roughly the same diameter of a manhole, maybe a little smaller given the dog couldn't get its wide shoulders through it. I say dog because that's the association my brain made by the way it moved. But this wasn't your typical canine. For one thing, Earth hounds can't make musical flute sounding calls. And for another, it had the truculent stance of a wild boar and tusks jutting out from its grizzly-sized jaws. Hairless, and covered in dark ashy plates, the creature looked as if it crawled straight out of hell.

 _Seriously, why can't it ever be kittens?_

It dug at the pipe with massive paws, its claws making ear-piercing _shrick, shrick, shrick,_ scraping sounds. Slowly, I lifted my wrist and tapped a symbol on the flat face of my comp unit and pinged Osh, warning him that we were not the only ones here if he didn't know already. With a breathable atmosphere, we figured there was a chance we might run into some of the planet's indigenous species but neither of us had thought a planet this size and this bare could support an animal this big.

 _Seriously! Why the hell can it never be fluffy kittens?!_

Bagheera pressed his shoulder against my hip. The touch was reassuring considering the wild dog was the size of Baymax. Side by side, we stood there for a solid minute just watching the alien canine bite and claw at a pipe.

I was considering slowly backing away and leaving the dog to its own devices when scratching coming from inside the pipe touched my ears. There was only one reason for any predator to act this way and that was if it managed to corner prey. Curious, I switched the biomask filter to heat sig and bit my tongue before the curse slipped through my teeth.

A survivor. Two of them. The dog had two Yautja children pinned down. And the heat sig from the smaller of the two was dwindling. Fast.

 _Fuck!_

Taking great pains not to startle the alien, I freed the combistick from the strap at the small of my back. In its compact form, it didn't hinder my movements. Uzkielle's gift was strong and light, and most important, it was easy for me to handle. And Uzkielle had thoroughly made sure I could wield it properly. I had yet to master it, but at least I wasn't dinging myself in the forehead anymore.

Bagheera tensed. I didn't dare take my eyes off the wild dog to look at him, but I could practically feel Bagheera barring his teeth. From the smoky shadows of the still smoldering wreckage, two more wild dogs appeared to join their friend. A pack. One leapt on top of the pipe, sniffed the air and turned glowing orange eyes on us. With a ululating hunt cry, the other two lifted their heads and stared. Food. That's what we were to them.

 _Double fuck!_

Instinctively, I started reaching for the furere's power, but the two small heat sigs huddled in the pipe stopped me. I seemed to have gained a bit of control over the storm that continuously raged within, but I wasn't sure I trusted myself not to accidentally hurt those two kids.

Bagheera seemed to understand my hesitation and stepped in front of me with a growl out of a prehistoric world. The combistick extended, quadrupling in length with barely a sound.

The dog on top of the pipe lowered its head and snapped its teeth. A signal. They charged us.

...

 **Danny**

"Nina!" Danny cried. Lobomon echoing his outrage as one of the wild dogs tackled Nina and the only thing keeping its snapping jaws mere millimeters from her mask was the combistick. Soundlessly it snarled and snapped. Closing the gap.

"Nina!" he slammed his fists on the console. "Nina!" She couldn't hear him. Not after shutting down the link. Danny spun to face Lobomon. "She can't hear us!"

Aware of this, Lobomon was already overriding his mate's command.

A startling yelp. The boy stared at the alien pinning his sister and cursed himself for not fighting to go with her. Danny could now hear the wild dog's every excited breath and Nina's whooshing curses as its weight bared down on her chest and the air was forced out of her lungs. "What are you doing?!"

Nina's head jerked but she was a little preoccupied with not getting torn apart to respond.

"Nina, fry that bitch!"

"Watch your mouth!" Nina grunted.

"Is disciplining me really what's important right now?!" He could practically feel his sister's eyes rolling in their sockets. "Why ain't you punching that alien's ticket?!

Shoving the length of combistick into the dog's throat, Danny watched Nina's knees curl to her chest, plant her feet in the dog's stomach then bodily threw it off. She rolled. The cam feed spinning as it tried to focus. Nina got to her feet. She swung her head to the left. Bagheera came into view. One dog lay dead or at least unmoving beneath his massive dragon paw. Another one came up from behind, but Bagheera turned in time to catch the dog leaping towards him with open jaws.

"I can't," Nina said tightly. She spun. Danny thought she was looking for the third dog, but her attention stopped on some sort of metal tube sticking out of the sand. A pipe? She ran for it.

"What do you mean you ca-" Lobomon silenced him with a hand on his shoulder. Danny glanced up at the towering hunter and could practically feel him unraveling as he watched. Helpless. Lobomon didn't do helpless. "Ou distract her," he said. The words were barely discernable over the murderous growl, but Danny understood and buttoned his bottom lip between his teeth.

Nina dropped to her knees, the momentum of her run sliding her in front of the mouth of the pipe. She ducked her head and the biomask automatically adjusted to the change in ambient light revealing to Lobomon and Danny the reason for her hesitancy.

 **Uzkielle**

 _Pyode ooman..._ There was no malice behind the thought. He was not afraid for his Yeyin Thwei. Fear was reserved for those weak both in mind and body, and the hunter was neither. That was the Yautja way. His sire's way. No, Uzkielle was angry. That parasitic alien tech attached to his mate's forearm gave her tremendous power, yet she hesitated to harness its potential out of fear. Yet his mate could control the often debilitating emotion and transcend it in a way no other could. It's what drew his attention to her in the first place. The same things he considered weak, only made his Yeyin Thwei strong. But it also had a tendency to make her reckless and act with total abandonment, and with the two younglings in danger, Uzkielle knew she would fight harder than ever. And it was only a matter of time before she did something stupid out of pure desperation. So Uzkielle was angry. Angry at whatever boneheaded stunt she had yet to pull. Angry at his mate for being born a human. If she were a Yautja, he would not have to concern himself with the delicacy of her bones or the thinness of her soft skin. Although if he were honest with himself, he would realize that his anger stemmed not from his Yeyin Thwei's weakness but his own...

 **Nina**

A growl echoed down the barrel as I peeked in. Half buried in the apricot mineral sands, the two youngins huddled on a slope as far away from the mouth as they could get. About ten feet away from my position. The older one, maybe only five to my eyes, growled at me. The bio-scanner identified this one as male. He growled at me again. The light reflecting off his retinas was bright gold, and I instantly thought of Osh.

 _Where is he?_

I shooed the worry away. My mate would be fine. I had to focus on getting these two to safety. I couldn't really see the smaller Yautja, a female, because the boy was hiding her from me. I considered going in after them, but of course, that was the momma bear compulsion to kiss the booboos and make everything better, but these two wouldn't know me from a Zabin. Likely, I'd only scare them into attacking. Hurt. Cornered. Alone. Yeah, I'd attack the crazy redhead too.

"Uzkielle?"

"Sei'i," the deep timber of his voice rattled the comm. Huh, go figure. He's pissed.

"Is there anything I can do to get these youngins to trust me? A Yautja sign? A saying? Anythi-" My head snapped up at Bagheera's roaring yowl. A wild dog had one his tail's in its jaws while the other circled. The big cat turned and dove at the one holding his tail, spearing the dog with his horn. Bagheera was alright. If he needed me, I would go to him. I turned back to the problem at hand. The boy growled at me again, pushing himself and the little girl as far into the sand as he could manage. "Uzkielle?"

"No... de born BadBlood... trussst no un. Not even der own kin."

The biotag I'd placed on the injured female flashed red in my periphery. She was dying. Going fast. Too fast. Fuck! The little Yautja boy must've sensed it too because he pulled her into his lap and made an agonizing mournful sound that pierced my heart.

I reached a hand out. Just hand. My gut said it wouldn't work, but I had to try. "I'm sorry, little one. Please-" The sound of the fight was drawing closer. "-I won't hurt you."

Out of fear and probably an unhealthy dose of adrenaline, the little boy lashed out. He was too far away for his claws to make contact, but I'd forced him into a defensive strike and the jostling caused the little girl to whimper. Breaths coming in tiny frantic gasps, the male curled around her and made that low mournful sound again.

"Uzkielle," I said pleading. Tears of desperation stinging my eyes. "I have to do something or we're going to lose them!"

Rustling. "Lobomon what's the Yatchu word for family?"

I grit my teeth, "Danny are you seriously making a Lilo and Stitch reference right now?!"

"Nina!" The comm buzzed with his sharp tone. "Family is trust. Kids need'a know they're safe."

Okay, I saw his point. Truly I did, but I'm not Yautja... then again, Danny had claimed my mates' as our family back when they were only Pakkun and Lobomon to me, and they trusted us enough to keep their secret. 'Course they were also big-ass-scary adult Yautja who only had to growl at me in order to get me to comply at the time.

My head flopped with a sigh. I was desperate. I would try anything. "Uzkielle, what's the Yautja word for family?"

Turns out, there wasn't a word for family in the Yautja dialect. Or at least nothing warm and fuzzy. Translated, what Uzkielle said sounded very... Krogan of all things. Besides referring to Osh as mei'hswei which meant brother he would also refer to him as "Blood of my blood." Yeah. Very Krogan. Maybe one of the Mass Effect devs knew a fucking Yautja when he or she designed the Krogans.

Somehow I doubted if I repeated that I'd get the reaction I wanted. However, there was one string of Yautja words I knew pretty well (and that I could say without butchering) and they always disarmed me.

"De yeyin dtoudi inde," I breathed.

The boy cocked his head. Confused and probably completely weirded out now. Great. Yeah, I wasn't feeling the Pixar vibe either. Even spoken softly, it still sounded like a freaking Klingon lullaby about the Way of the Kahless in the Yautja tongue. Not soothing at all.

 _How would a Matriarch handle this? And what a bizarre thought. I'm no Yautja Matri-_

The radar suddenly went crazy. Six more blips, likely the wild dogs, closing in from all sides. Our time was up. I couldn't afford to waver, or be soft when all I wanted was to protect them.

Howls. An underworld worthy ululating blood song chorused from everywhere and nowhere. Only the heat sigs on my unit told me they were flesh and blood beasts and not the black dogs of folklore.

Fear ran rampant, making my heart race, but I wasn't about to abandon these two. I stared into the gloom of the pipe. Stared into the brilliant eyeshine of the little boy. _"You must come,"_ I signed. The movement of my hands sharp, firm, confident. The way a Yautja would sign. _"Let me help her."_

The boy made a warbly trill as he looked down at the still form in his arms then back at me.

 _"I will protect you, or I will die trying."_

Bagheera was in front of me. Black blood oozing from a wound in his shoulder. The pack was circling. Cutting off our escape routes.

I threw my hand out. "Dtoudi inde!"

With the injured girl in his arms, the boy suddenly flung himself at me. I caught them both, tucked them to my chest, lifted my head, and my wide eyes saw nothing but teeth...

 **Danny**

"No!" Danny watched in horror as the lead dog moved in for the kill from the corner of cam's field of vision. Nina was exposed. Bagheera had her back covered but he couldn't be everywhere at once. Lobomon snarled at the advancing animal and Danny flinched at the terrifying sound. They were powerless to stop it, and Nina was so focused on the children that she hadn't heard their warnings.

Nina's whole frame jerked back, wrapping protectively around the two youngsters at the same moment the lead dog saw its opening and attacked. Danny shut his eyes out of reflex. Like when watching a horror film you know its coming, and you fight not to close your eyes but you do it anyway. He heard the beast snarl. A yowl. Then a roar...

Danny's eyes popped open. No wild dog had made that enraged sound. Pakkun. Pakkun stood in front of his sister, holding the lead dog by the scruff. The dog fought, bared its teeth and snapped at Pakkun. The hunter tore off his mask and roared right back, his mandibles spread wide. The thrashing animal snapped and pawed the air. Danny could hear Pakkun's chuff of disinterest as if the hunter were holding a squeaking rodent and not fifty-five kilos of muscle and gnashing teeth. Replacing his mask he relieved the dog of its head with a quick swipe of his wrist blades.

Danny dragged Pakkun's holo feed next to his sister's so that they could get a better picture between the two points of view.

Pakkun turned, tusks clicking in warning. The pack had halted at the death of the lead dog, and Danny could practically see a wave of indecisiveness roll through them. But as four others emerged from the wreckage, their numbers now triple what they had been at the beginning, the packs' confidence grew exponentially.

On her feet now, Nina stood beside Pakkun. She had one small child tucked in the crook of her left arm and against her chest, the other, a boy Danny thought, held her right hand his face turned up to hers.

With the cam mounted in the biomask, Danny couldn't see his sister's face, or her reaction as the pack moved in on them from all sides. Danny couldn't take it anymore. "Nina! What're you doin'?! Light 'em up!"

The feed jerked as if she'd tensed. His sister looked down at the unconscious life in her arm, then at the boy holding her hand. The Yautja boy looked up then, and Danny saw what his sister saw. Trust. Face set in hard lines of grim determination, the boy was ready to fight to the death right along with her.

Danny didn't think it would come to that. Even if the pack doubled in size again, they didn't stand a chance with Pakkun and Bagheera around, but while Nina fought to protect both children she would be extremely vulnerable to attack. Meaning Pakkun and Bagheera would constantly be putting themselves in the line of fire to protect her.

Nina must've drawn the same conclusion. The cam leveled on the little girl. _Space blue,_ Danny thought briefly in awe of her coloring. Other shades around her brow ridge were muddled by a layer of blood-soaked sand. But to Danny, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on.

Nina crouched, and Danny noted that the boy's palette mirrored the girl's. "De yeyin," Nina murmured to the boy then handed the unconscious girl to him. _"Mine to protect,"_ she signed. The boy's expression grew fierce and he gave her a curt nod. _"Close your eyes."_ He did.

Pakkun's cam tilted down as Nina touched his shoulder. Like before a strange otherworldly wind lifted her hair and Danny heard the sound of the charge building. The feeds were blinking, unable to compensate. The first time he'd heard the sound and felt it vibrate his bones Danny had no name for it. Now he did.

Ignoring the fear twisting his insides, Danny leaned forward with a smile of pride and excitement. "Nina! One thousand birds!"

Danny thought he heard his sister "hm" at the Naruto joke as she unleashed one thousand birds...

* * *

 **A/N: Oh my god, I don't know if anyone reading this story is old enough to remember that fucking MMMbop song but now you share my pain! And seriously, LMAO I can't even blame my nephews for the inspiration of that wretched diarrhea song... yeah, that shit was all me. Haha! Things are gonna start moving a little faster. Wolf and Eve in the next chapter then there's only a handful left until the end!**

 **Yautja definitions: (Note: "inde" and "de" are variations of other Yautja words.) **

Pyode ooman: soft human

Yeyin Thwei: brave blood

Sei'i: yes

De yeyin dtoudi inde: be brave little one

Dtoudi inde: Brave one

De yeyin: be brave

 **hellfire45: Thanx! I can hardly wait! XD**

 **sousie: Lmao, I know right?! It's sooooo unfair! Thanx :D**

 **angel897: Eeee thanx! That's exactly how I wanted it to turn out! Hot and fun! And her desire drives them boys wild XD**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: Hehe, I was giggling like crazy! I kept having to close the document because of that naughty Uz! Haha! Danny might be maturing but he's still Danny ;) And if you really love the boy then you're definitely gonna love what I have in store at the end of this story! *rubs hands together and giggles maniacally***

 **KTCameleon: Okay, I seriously couldn't stop giggling like an idgit every time I read your review. Lmao, yup, Wolf is the Big Bad ;)**

 **TigrisRawr: *giggles* You would not believe how hard that scene was to write. I kept closing the document. Uz is such a bad boy *fans face* Thanx, TigrisRawr XD**

 **Vakrian: Hi, V! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Lol, I hope this one was a bit more fun. Danny's such a riot! :D**

 **Tenfangirl: You know me, I'm full of surprises! I hope you liked this one because it plays a huge role in the future of this story and possibly a bit more ;) *wink wink* Thanx luv!**


	46. Chapter 46

**We're Keeping Them**

In the hush of night, I lay on the berth I shared with Osh and stared down at my steadily growing family. Between Danny and I, we made a protective circle and at its center, Ry'kar and his baby sister Avamar slept. My overzealous momma bear intuition had claimed the siblings as ours the moment I set eyes on their heat sigs trapped in that conduit. Naturally, the youngsters were hesitant in the beginning, and they still were, but after forty-seven hours of rest and a lot of TLC, they were slowly letting down their guard. 'Course it's hard to stay continuously wary with Danny around. The goofball had taken to being a big brother with the ease of breathin'.

Lying on my side, I had an elbow braced and my head propped up as I gazed down at Avamar. The Hidden Star, Osh informed me, and the name suited the little beauty quite well. Still recovering from a bite wound to her throat, Avamar curled towards me, and I took the opportunity to study her face. She and her brother were the same shade of space blue with bright yellow "tear marks" that cut a path from the corners of their eyes down to the lower mandibles and ending at the tusk. However, unlike her brother who had a yellow stripe running from the top of his crown to the middle of his forehead ending in a teardrop, Avamar had a yellow waning moon in the center of hers. It was stunning. Osh had said that their rare coloring made them targets. The siblings weren't from the BadBlood clan at all, but had likely been taken from one the few Yautja tribes who preferred to live as their ancients once did, and not the technologically inclined clans of today. They were primitive by choice. Likely after annihilating the tribe, the BadBloods had spared the children, intending to add their unique bloodborne traits to the gene pool.

Worry tightened my chest, neither Avamar nor Ry'kar have yet to speak. They would occasionally sign but only to answer basic questions such as their names. 'Course I imagine if I survived the hell they went through, it would take time to find my voice again too.

The door whispered open, and I glanced at Osh's black silhouette. Bagheera and Baymax, who'd been sleeping at our feet lifted their heads in unison. Osh merely stared at me. Sighing, I obeyed the silent request (Gah! Did he have to be so damn demanding?!). A buzz of energy tingled at the tips of my fingers as I dragged my ass out of bed. A few sparks leftover from the (chuckles) one thousand birds strike. I hadn't killed the wild dogs, though part of me really wanted to, I couldn't fault them for finding my ass so yummy. Okay, in all seriousness, I didn't think I needed to wipe out an entire species just because they were feeling peckish. However, had Avamar died in my arms, I would've slaughtered the lot of 'em.

The tingling stopped. Even though I hadn't killed the wild dogs, the attack had put me on my ass for several hours. Nowhere near as long as the previous time, but I was slowly figuring out my limitations and how to avoid total burnout. I smiled. I'd also been able to channel the energy. I wouldn't have to worry about accidentally hurting a loved one.

At the door, I dragged my nails under Osh's mandibles, and with a low appreciative chirr my mate followed behind. Thirteen hours ago we'd finally received word from two other mated pairs, and they were to rendezvous with us in the next twenty-four. I didn't like it. The World Eater has probably broken atmosphere by now and was getting cushy in my territory, but we couldn't hope to win without some backup. In the meantime, we'd already coordinated with Wolf and Eve. They'd found the other BadBloods vessel, the one that had been transporting the queen before she broke free. That's what I saw all those days ago when I nearly vaporized us. Which meant we were only dealing with the World Eater, and likely an unholy number of her deadly offspring. Peachy.

 _We're going to war..._

In the not so distant past, I only ever had to concern myself with keeping Danny safe and happy. I've never once regretted the choices I've made leading up to this point, but now I had two mates, a surly werewolf, an alien cat, a fluff ball, and two kids. And every one of those bed-hoggin' assholes was mine to protect. But up until now, I've never been afraid for them. Losing has never once crossed my mind. And lying next to my kids brought it all into focus. If we failed... if.. if I _failed_ , I could lose them all...

 _Stop it! The last thing you want is to enter a room with Uzkielle and Wolf and reek of fear._

Warmth blanketed my backside, and I fisted my hands. When had I stopped moving? I opened my eyes. Osh would not understand my girly desire for a _Casablanca_ moment _,_ so I willed myself not to collapse into him. Memories of Osh, and the first time we met flit through my head. We'd hated each other in the beginning, but now I couldn't imagine getting through the day, let alone a battle with Smaug's fugly stepsister, without him.

Osh didn't touch me. He always seemed to understand what I needed even when I didn't. If he touched me right now, I would shatter. Instead, he quietly stood behind me as a pillar of strength, patiently allowing me to find balance even though the world was probably literally crumbling at this point. Fuck. I really couldn't lose him. Any of them.

 _Then don't._

"Osh..."

He stepped closer, enveloping me in his heat without touching. I was not about to make any final speeches about "if I die" or some bullshit because that leaves a door open for that outcome.

"..let's do this."

His low chuffing growl brought a confident twist to my lips. Reality is a cold cold bitch. In all likelihood, this fight would kill me, but hey, I'm from Louisiana, so reality could kiss my southern ass. And for that matter so could the Creators (its what I'm calling ghost girl's species). I mean seriously?! How dare that cunt (yes, I used the C word) warn me not to fail, only to throw me in the fucking deep end with a great white after chumming the flippin' water!

 _Focus, Nina. Best not to keep Wolf and Eve waiting..._

 _..._

 **Wolf**

On the viewer, an azure planet obscured the void beyond. Its atmosphere streaked an even deeper shade of royal blue as the scattered remnants of the BadBlood vessel his progeny had been tracking sank below the high-altitude methane ice clouds.

 _Not ooman..._

Ra'zele's eyes narrowed. After growing bored of the hunt as many Ancients do, the old wolf decided to live outside of the clan functioning as an Arbitrator of sorts or an attack dog as his mate so grievously put it. For centuries he answered to no one, traveling to the farthest reaches of the universe, and in that time he'd grown hard-bitten. Little did he know that something as monotonous as a xeno infestation on a backwater planet would lead to the discovery of his half-blood ooman mate. The instant he recognized what she was to him, a voracious fire pounded through his veins. A hunt song more powerful than what he'd experienced even as a YoungBlood, and after taking Eve for himself, he thought nothing could ever catch him off guard again. Until now.

 _Deaunali..._

In front of him, Ra'zele could feel his mate tense. She'd sensed it too. When he'd learned Uzkielle and Osh'ikeille had entered into a taboo bond with an ooman, Ra'zele merely found the irony amusing. Never did it cross his mind that the mate his scions shared might be of the same lineage as his own mate.

Ra'zele tilted his head scrutinizing Uzkielle who has remained uncharacteristically quiet. Arms crossed over his chest, Uzkielle paid him no mind, but stared intently at Eve, a penetrating glint in his sharp gaze. Apparently, the connection hadn't slipped his notice either.

A growl threatened to rise in Ra'zele's throat. With Yautja, there is always the potential for violence. But with the Deaunali, violence wasn't a compulsion it was inherent. Though being only a half-blood, his mate was not controlled by the same obsessive nature that drove the Deaunali to near extinction. But having never met his scions' mate, he couldn't predict her reaction. An unknown he hadn't anticipated. A threat. And if necessary one that may need to be put down...

...

 **Eve**

A black wave of tension choaked the air in the room. Eve regarded the subtle readiness in Uzkielle's stance and reached for Wolf just behind her and placed a firm hand on his hard oblique. Not a restraining touch, she knew better than that, but a reassuring one.

Wolf's unyielding power caressed her backside. Regardless of the unforeseen presence of another Deaunali, Eve knew bringing this family together in such a confined space could be disastrous. Unlike earth children, there were no father and son bonds amongst the Yautja. But Wolf was an enigma. Over the course of several lifetimes, Wolf had sired dozens of offspring yet with Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle he wasn't merely content with the knowledge that he'd had a hand in the next generation of warriors. Wolf favored the twins above all others. Stepping outside the traditional boundaries and protecting them from the brunt of the backlash of the clan when his sons returned only to lay claim to Nina.

Were the twins even aware that he'd openly challenged the Leader if he dare name them BadBloods? Eve didn't think so. However, in this situation, Eve wasn't sure what he would do. Mated Yautja are far more dangerous and unpredictable. And Wolf's bloodline wasn't simply instinctually driven as all natural predators are, they were possessed by them. Osh'ikeille may be the only true exception, but Uzkielle... no. No Uzkielle would've become unstable if he were under the thrall of a Deaunali. Wolf would not hesitate to kill his own offspring should the need arise. But Eve did not think it would come to that. Nina was... something different. She had to be.

Wolf's gaze never wavered from Uzkielle, not even when Eve felt his attention shift to the door. Eve never expected much out of people, so she found herself rarely surprised by them, and the woman who stepped into the comms room with Osh'ikeille at her back was no exception. Aside from the furere, or to be more precise the Fury of the Storm, attached to her left arm which explained why she felt like a Deaunali, Eve found her to be unremarkable.

A woman of average height, Nina had short chestnut-red hair, lively green eyes, and curves hidden beneath a fair amount of muscle. Eve wondered if she gave up her femininity for her Yautja mates or if life had simply taken it from her. She looked at her hands. Eve always believed you could tell a lot about a person by there hands. Nina's were calloused. And her grit stained knuckles attested to a rough life. Eve could respect a hard working woman, and while her heavily scarred body promised some interesting stories, overall she found Nina to be underwhelming. And yet the instant she walked into the room her presence had a dampening effect on the rising tension. Even Wolf it seemed was not immune.

 _Interesting._

Now Eve was curious. Was Nina even aware that the Yautja in the room had fallen in line and were treating her as a Matriarch?

Eve met the eyes of the woman in question and was taken somewhat aback by the widening of her green eyes and... excitement?

"You're not human."

A hint of a smile played on Eve's lips at her frankness. Good. It would save time if they didn't do the typical predator dance and size each other up.

"No more than you are," she replied in the same matter-of-fact tone.

...

 **Nina**

 _Way to be cool, Neen's! Just blurt out the fucking obvious! And hey, while you're at it, why not just tell her, you think she's a fucking goddess!_

Eve was smoken'! No way around it. The woman was like one of those outrageous anime babes! Waist length Black Widow red hair, sunkissed skin, tall- really fucking tall, easily six feet with tits that probably generated their own gravitational pull. And in a white midriff high collar top and a white Princess Leia slave skirt she belonged on teen boy's wall poster.

Jealous? Moi? Hell yes! Why was I always being freaking outclassed?!

 _Oi! Focus, Nina!_

My eyes met Eve's. Honestly, that's what gave her away. Heterochromia is rare to begin with in humans and never this drastic. Eve's left eye was a metallic silvery-blue and the other a fairy green. Stunning. Yet there was a hardness to her gaze that made me feel weirdly sad.

"Sooooo what are you?" Might as well get the burning question out of the way.

Eve cocked a brow. "The same as you. Only I wasn't made, I was born this way."

Her emphasis on the word _made_ touched a nerve. It's not as if I ask for this. "What do you mean by that?" I scanned her carefully. The Creators were extremely short. Not to mention they had wings and horns and oh yeah, they looked nothing like humans! "You don't look like... the um..."

"Deaunali. And I wouldn't. I'm only a halfbreed." She turned, lifted her long hair out of the way and flashed a diamond cut out in her top at the shoulders, exposing her skin and... scars. Two identical parallel scars right were her wings would've been if they hadn't been forcibly removed. "I was born in 1687. Five years before the Salem witch trials. Viewed as a demon, my grandmother tore the wings from my back. My life was only spared because my mother thought to hide me away in a coal cellar." Eve said. Though the woman had answered the unspoken question without a hitch in her somber tone there was a hollowness to her words I couldn't shake.

Great. Now, I needed a damn hug after that. And I had a humiliating urge to wrap my arms around Eve, but I doubted the woman would appreciate it. Where's Danny when you need 'em?

"What's your gift?"

"Gift?" She repeated the word as if she bit into a lemon. Clearly, I'd chosen the wrong thing to say. Go me.

 _You're just makin' friends left and right, Nina._

Eve lifted a hand and it spontaneously ignited in flame. My mouth formed an "O" as in oh, that's fucking cool! But Eve's deadpan expression said she didn't feel the same. "I've never called it that, but I suppose it is in a way." She dropped her hand and the flame went out.

"Now," Eve continued. "Has there been any word from the others?"

Okay, apparently, we weren't gonna do the whole you show me yours, and I'll show you mine thang. But I suppose there were more pressing issues. Still, did the woman have to be such a fucking tool?! Inwardly I sighed. Somehow I seriously doubted Eve and I would ever be bosom buds. And dammit, I could use a fucking girlfriend! I've been trapped in this miasmic death cloud of testosterone for so long it's a wonder I haven't sprouted chest hair!

I shook my head. "I've only heard from two other mated pairs. We'll be rendezvousing with them in twenty-four on the dark side of the moon."

"There is no dark side of the moon."

 _Okay, not a Pink Floyd fan._

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "I mean the blind side. The BadBloods already knocked out Earth's communication satellites, so I don't think we'll have to worry about being spotted. The giant flying xeno on the other hand, well..."

The door slid open, and I let my words trail off as Ry'kar entered. Ignoring the curious gazes on him, and an admonishing chuff from Osh, Ry'kar came and stood next to me. After rescuing him and his sister, Ry'kar had formed a bit of an attachment to me and started following me everywhere much to the annoyance of my mates who'd both tried to get a little action last night. Secretly, I found it wildly adorable and my mates' misery was just a bonus.

"The Kayzar won't help us..." Eve started. Her attention drifting as her eyes kept darting to Ry'kar.

 _What the hey?_

"The Kayzar won't help us and the Kandari are scum." She shook her head. "Even with our combined abilities and a handful of Yautja warriors, I'm not sure this is a fight we can win."

"And their human mates," I tacked on because I was pretty sure she'd disregarded the humans on purpose. And her hard incredulous stare said I was right.

 _She... hates us._

The mounting irritation I felt for this nasty woman went poof. The scars on her back were only the visible ones. My life hasn't exactly been hearts and rainbows either, but at least I hadn't grown up in an era where women were viewed as property, and having been born different she was automatically labeled as demon possessed. I certainly couldn't sympathize with her, but that didn't mean I should pity her either. Humans still found new ways to be cruel to one another, but she was in the wrong for assuming all of us were like that.

 _So... if she didn't want to come here then..._ My eyes slid between Wolf and Eve.

"Kayzar?" I questioned.

Eve waved her hand then touched her forehead as if she had a headache. "An amphibious sentient race similar to humanity only far more advanced. And while the Kandari are vicious fighters, they are also opportunistic hunters and slave traders. Luckily they haven't reached this far into space. And it would be in Earth's best interest not to attract their attention."

I inwardly snorted. Us not draw attention? The woman was in for a rude awakening if she thought we weren't gonna make a little noise. Queen xenos aren't exactly the diplomatic type.

Ry'kar suddenly crossed his arms over his chest in a move so like Uzkielle I bit my cheek to keep from giggling. _Bored much kid?_ I was tempted to ask, only I got distracted by Eve. After watching her gaze wander down to Ry'kar for the twenty billionth time it finally hit me. One of the burning questions I'd been hoping another woman mated to a Yautja could answer was if we could have children. And considering the way Eve was staring at Ry'kar, I think I got my answer.

I laid a hand on Ry'kar's shoulder. Eve's gaze slid to me, and I saw it. A brief well of sadness so deep it took my breath away. Eve recovered, but we both knew I'd already seen the crack in her shield. Dammit. Now, I wanted to hug her again.

"Drones are fairly stupid. But the queens are extremely intelligent," Eve said sparing us from a potentially awkward moment. "She won't want to draw attention to herself. She needs time to organize." Eve glanced at Wolf standing just behind her. "It'll be Gunnison all over again," she said wryly. Wolf grunted as if amused by the memory.

I couldn't decide how I felt about Wolf. He was really... short. Okay, that's not fair. He was still Godzilla next to me, but he was at least a good foot or so shorter than both his sons. And lean. He had a very wiry build and blackish dark-foresty green skin that gradually paled at the chest and stomach. The whole left side of his face was a mass of acid burn scars, leaving the eye cloudy and possibly blind and his upper left tusk had been ripped off. Don't get me wrong, the dude was scary, but admittedly, I was having trouble understanding why Gul'dan had made him out to be such a boogieman.

When I was younger, I played the Bloody Mary game to prove a point that nothing could scare me. I still remember the echo of my own scream when I looked in the mirror and called the spirits name three times and got the fright of my life when Danny jumped out from behind the damn shower curtain. I must've said Wolf's name one too many times in my head because I found myself staring into one yellow orb and one cloudy, and couldn't even recall him tilting his head in my direction.

There was no threat in his gaze. There was nothing at all. The weight of thousands of years crushed the air from my chest. This dude... there were no words. No comparisons I could make. I just knew if he wanted me dead then not even the furere or my mates could stop him.

Numb all over, I fought down the urge to look away. If I dropped his gaze, he might think me too weak to be the mate of his sons and kill me. I've played this game before. And even though he freaked me the hell out, I wasn't about to lose face.

It was over within one beat of my human heart. Our exchange had been so subtle that no one else in the room had caught on. Wolf's attention was on his mate, and I blinked thinking I'd imagined the whole thing. But I hadn't.

I allotted myself a quick mental breakdown followed by a silent "Hell Yeah!" before getting back to business. We discussed a plan of attack. Osh'ikeille summoned a holo image of the queen, and we went over every inch of data that we'd managed to collect.

I kept stealing glances at Wolf throughout the conversation. I would never have the courage to say it to his face in zillion years, but I found it rather cute that the only reason he was here at all was for his sons. Osh and Uz were clearly clueless, but I wasn't. And every time my eye unconsciously caught his the lyrics to O' Death started playing in my head. 'Cause yeah, I could totally see this dude slaying god...

 _"When God is gone and the devil takes hold,_

 _who will have mercy on your soul..."_

* * *

 **A/N: That's right. Wolf is so badass he gets his own theme song O' Death by Jen Titus. Haha! Thanx, everyone! Just a handful of chapters left! And can I just say- UGH! I hate writing in 3rd person! I finished this at 3 in the morning so forgive me if there's a crap ton of mistakes. XP Hopefully, none of you were in the path of the hurricane! Stay safe peeps! Bleu out!**

 **angel897: Thanx! You're pretty freaking awesome too XD**

 **sempy: Lol XD Hope this chapter made up for the cliffy ;) Thanx!**

 **Akari Wolf Princess: Haha, I know! As soon as I added the Naruto gag I felt the age too XP Eeee, I heart Kaki sensei too! Thanx for the love!**

 **hellfire45: Thanx for the review! I can hardly wait to explore the future with those Yautja kiddos! ;D**

 **KTCameleon: Awe, thank you! I really enjoyed writing it :) I'm loving the younglings too. I only wish I added them a little sooner to the story. Thanx, luv!**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: No prob! Thanx for reading :D**

 **First Dragon: Eeeee hi, First Dragon! Haha, I was really hoping I'd get a laugh out of that dang song! Thanx for the love :)**

 **TigrisRawr: Thanx, TigrisRawr! Phew! I was so worried about the POV swapping. I hate 3rd person XP**

 **NightlyKill: Thanx! :D**

 **sousie: Lol XD Yup! I heart Kaki sensei! Haha! Thanx ;)**

 **Curlyshy123: I will! Thanx for the love!**

 **Bloody Red Noir: Oh, wow! Lol, you're review seriously made my day! At this moment Nina thinks she's unable to have kids, but that doesn't necessarily mean her assumption is right. I plan to get into that a little more in a later chapter. And as for Danny... well, again I don't want to give anything away, but I feel as if I might've misled readers with that one. Anyway, thank you so much for the review! :D**

 **Tenfangirl: Awe, thank you! *smiles crazily***


	47. Chapter 47

**Codename: Black Angel**

 _"The Deaunali were once a good people, but their extraordinary intelligence combined with a lifespan of only ten years, sparked an obsession that ultimately led to their downfall."_

In the cockpit, I lounged in the piloting chair. One leg bent over the rest, and the other folded somewhat painfully beneath a sleeping Avamar. I sat in silence, mindlessly letting my thoughts drone on about the quiet conversation Eve and I had finally had after everyone left the comm room.

My brows furrowed at her words. She'd gone on to say how the Deaunali had become quite adept at war. Every generation, longer lived and more violent than the last. The girl I'd seen hadn't felt necessarily violent to me, powerful yes, but not violent. Then again, she had forced her will on me. And while I'd been sitting backseat in my own head she'd attacked Osh.

Avamar made a low trilling noise in her sleep, distracting me from my thoughts. The eyeshine of her metallic ocean orbs was a beacon in the dim room as they cracked open. She yawned, mandibles stretching then folding closed as she turned her head and snuggled into my warmth.

A smirk jumped at the corner of my mouth, only to have a wave of sadness sweep it away. Before Eve departed for her vessel, she shocked me by being the first to bring up the subject of children. Though she'd done so in a way that made it feel less personal and more mechanical. But I was starting to realize that's just who Eve was. She put a barrier between herself and everyone else.

 _"The human body treats the foreign genetic material like an invasion. So while it is theoretically possible it is also improbable. And given our variances its probably for the better. Yautja females are much bigger than us. Stronger too. Giving birth to a half-blood Yautja would likely end with the death of the human mother if not the child as well."_

 _"Have you ever heard of a successful birth?" I asked her. Clinging to a shred of hope I knew would only lead to more heartbreak._

 _Eve's face remained impassive, but the sadness was there in her eyes. She needn't answer at that point. Laying a hand on my shoulder, she glanced at Ry'kar who'd manage to follow me without a sound or my taking notice of him. "Take care of them..."_

Her parting words have been echoing in my head ever since. My eyes traced Avamar's face, committing every detail to memory. I may never carry one of my own, but I have children. Children I needed to protect if this battle went tits up.

Before thinking about what I was doing, I leaned forward and tapped an open channel. I had no idea if this was a good idea or not, but I was trusting my gut.

To my surprise, Wolf answered my hail. And weirdly, I wasn't nervous. Just determined. Instead of putting him on the viewer, I brought up the holo imaging system and Wolf's three-dimensional head blossomed in front of me. It was a little disconcerting having only a head floating half a dozen inches from my face, but I wasn't sure how to adjust the image, so I left it alone.

"Wolf," I went with his human name because it felt more natural, "uh..." Crap I hadn't thought past his name. Smooth, Neen's. I wasn't even sure what I was asking for but as Avamar... as my daughter pulled herself closer to me the words spilled out on their own. "You've been around for... a really really long time. Have you ever seen anything like this? Or fought anything like this?"

Despite how highly unorthodox this was, Wolf didn't seem to mind.

"M-di," he said simply. Staring at me in a way that made me feel very exposed.

"I need a way to protect my family." His gaze briefly dropped to Avamar. And I knew in that moment, I'd made the right decision in contacting Wolf. He understood. "If we don't make it out. I need to know they're safe. The clans won't have them." I was thinking more about my very human brother when I said this. I'd also specifically emphasized the "we" because I was pretty sure if Eve survived she would take the kids without hesitation. "Is there anyone I can trust to take care of them?"

Wolf apparently didn't even have to think about it. "Ghardeh," he said without a trace of doubt.

"Yautja?"

He gave a curt nod, "She will not fail."

I sank back into the unforgiving hardness of the piloting chair and unconsciously began to play with Avamar's dreads. "Tell me about her..."

...

"Sooooo-ah do you have superpowers too?" Danny asked from his seat on the console. The kid was so excited he was practically vibrating. But this was the new Danny, so he was attempting to act cool as if having five Yautja and three other humans in the same room (dangerous combination by the by) was normal.

He started swinging his legs then bit his lip to stop the excited tick as Zelda, a gorgeous slender half Korean with a purple fohawk and the sexiest tat sleeves I've ever seen, gave him a lazy sweet smile. "Does an affinity for knives count?" she teased with a wink.

Danny's grin widened, "Fire knives? Because that would be even awesomer!"

"Alas," she said touching the back of her hand to her forehead and feigning woe. "I think I am the only none fantastical human here." Standing beside her, her mate Orukia made a rude sounding grunt and gently shoved her shoulder. Zelda giggled, and I had a very strong suspicion from that one exchange that Zelda had given him quite the runaround. They'd only been a mated pair for less than three weeks when they received our SOS. Its weird to think of it as a honeymoon phase with Yautja but the sentiment was the same. At first, I was really concerned with their bond being so new that Orukia might feel inclined to bare his teeth and stake his claim with so many other males around, but I guess since none of the others were bachelors he didn't feel the need. Then again, I'm drawing my insight purely from what I'd experienced with my mates. And while Osh was the level-headed one between the two, he couldn't pull off Orukia's laid-back vibe. Not that that cool atmosphere fooled me one iota. After meeting Wolf, I learned not to trust the lull of a predator. Drop your guard around these bad boys and you won't live long enough to regret it.

"Hey," Michael said with a wave of his hand and laughing grin on his face. "I'm human too."

Zelda eyed the six foot something descendent of a freaking Aztec god. Seriously, the dude was insanely hot, and if I didn't control my pulse around him, his mate T'arik a slightly less aggressive version of Uzkielle but no less intimidating male might bounce my head off the console.

"Sorry stretch," she said. "Beauty counts as a weapon."

Michael blushed and ducked his head making him ridiculously adorable on top of being stupidly hot.

"I wish I had a cool name like Zelda," Danny suddenly blurted. He turned to me. "Can I change my name to something cool too? Oh-oh! Like Cadye-6!"

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Sorry kid, they killed him off," Zelda said with a sympathetic wince.

"WHAT?!"

 _Craaaaap! Zelda!_

"But I like Danny," Zelda cut in smoothly before he could rant. Seriously, the woman's voice was silk to the eardrum. "It's deceptively dangerous."

Danny beamed. Okay, I am officially in love with this woman.

"Can I call you, Z?" The little devil with the devilish glint in his eye asked ever-so-sweetly. I hid a smile. At the very least Danny's antics kept the severe shit storm we all felt coming on from becoming too depressing.

She gave him a sly smile, "Call me, ZZ."

At that, I cocked a brow.

Zelda looked at me and scratched the back of her head. "Heh, I went through a heavy ZZ Top phase."

"Who didn't," I giggled.

"Do I get a nickname?" Michael flashed Danny a huge grin, and I knew exactly where this was headed.

"Mikey!" Danny laughed.

Aside from Eve, who obviously had no idea who the orange ninja turtle was, the humans all laughed. The Yautja rumbled in annoyed confusion, probably thinking how weird humans act right before a battle that could and likely would claim all our lives. But now that the awkward meet and greet had passed, I decided it was time to bring us round to why we were all here.

 _Right. Time to be a killjoy._

"Alright, class-" Of course when you're getting ready to face the apocalypse head on who says you can't have a bit of fun? "-who here has seen _Men in Black_?" A wicked little grin kicked up the corners of my lips. Danny's Destiny reference gave me an idea. A really really stupid idea. Which of course meant it was the best kind.

"Me! Me!" Danny said with a cheery wave of his hand. Again another rumble of confusion from the Yautja. Uz and Osh shared a look of profound exasperation. What? Did they expect _me_ to be serious in a time of crisis? Idgits.

However, Zelda didn't miss a beat. "Heh, whatcha thinking chick?"

"I'm thinking that that bitch's exoskeleton makes her a tank."

Then Michael caught on, and his espresso dark eyes glittered with shared humor. "I feel I should point out how incredibly stupid that plan is but at the same time I can't ignore how badass it would be if you pulled it off."

Once again, Eve was the odd human out. Having no idea what we were even going on about, she kept her expression placid. How could someone live so long without ever turning on a dang tv? Or maybe she was more partial to movies like _Titanic_ , _Steel Magnolias_ , and _Moulin Rouge_... yeesh. Depressing.

"Eve?"

The woman laid eyes on me, looking wisely skeptical when confronted by my grin.

"How hot do you get? Are we talking fried eggs?" My grin turned feral, " Or supernova?"

...

I stared at the one-foot tall scale holo of the World Eater. An hour ago we'd dispersed and put a respectable distance between each other (namely the Yautja) because everyone deserved some alone time with their mate(s).

Osh'ikeille and Uzkielle stood silently at my back neither of which were very happy with me at the moment. My contingency plan for taking out the queen should all others fail had not gone over well with them. Even after swearing up and down it was a last resort they still flat out rejected it. And had it not been for Osh's quick intervention, Uzkielle and I would've been at each other's throats.

Hands on the console, I dropped my head with a sigh, and the movement scattered the light field into a zillion fireflies that fluttered away into nothing. With the hologram gone, the room fell into bitter dusk. Streaks of garish red light produced by the wall panels cut across my body, and I stared at the stark bands of shadow and light playing over my hands for a solid minute before the silence was finally broken.

"F _ooo_ lissh," Uzkielle growled. The loaded vehemence behind the word might as well have been a bullet.

My knuckles connected with the console. "Fuck!" Fury engulfed my human heart, protecting it. I couldn't allow them to see how badly shaken I was. I whirled on them. "Don't you think I know that Uzkielle?! Yes, it's dangerous. Yes, it's stupid. But that's why my plan is a last-ditch effort." I was aware of my rising voice and the steady growl coming from both of them as I worked them up. But I couldn't seem to stop. "For fuck's sake, Uzkielle, there's nothing remotely sane about any of this! Hell! Going after the World Eater is the epitome of foolish you crab-faced bastard!" _Don't do it! Don't do it!_ "Goddammit! I'm not a fucking Predator! I don't hunt things that can eat me for shits and giggles! When humans do stupid shit like that it's out of love, or because their dicks are so small they hide their insecurity behind a gun, or ridiculously big truck, or building a fucking wall-"

Uzkielle was suddenly on me. He slammed me against the console, one hand at my throat, effectively ending my spiraling tirade. Osh'ikeille appeared beside him and laid a restraining hand on Uz's forearm. Uzkielle's mandibles lifted. He didn't squeeze he just held me there, keeping me immobile. Fuck all! It's impossible to hide fear from predators whose sense of taste was the equivalent of a shark's. One drop and even from miles away they're on to you.

Uzkielle and I exchanged charged looks neither of us submitting to the other.

 _Don't do it! Don't do it! Don't do it!_

Uzkielle snarled at me, his tusk scratching my cheek.

 _Do it! Do it! Do it!_

I snarled right back, allowing a small charge to build in my hands. The scent of ozone stung the air as the gathering storm inside me split the nitrogen and oxygen molecules.

"Ki'cte!" Osh'ikeille barked. Not at Uzkielle, but at me. His wolf golds blazing as he moved into Uzkielle's path and forced him to release me. "Ki'cte, Dtoudi Shur'ie," he repeated softer though no less commanding than the first time. He reached for me, touching my face with the back of his knuckles, trailing through the wetness I hadn't noticed leaking from my eyes.

I took a breath and the charge dissipated. "Osh..." No time for squishy human sentiments of love. I had to put it in a way they would understand. "Uz..." I met their gazes evenly. "You can not deny me an honorable death if it comes down to it."

Uzkielle growled and pushed forward into my space but was stopped by the hand Osh laid on his chest. Uzkielle glanced down at the offending appendage, his growl deepening. Osh ignored him and took my shoulder in a firm grip.

"Sei'i," he said in a monotone devoid of the resigned aggravation that briefly intensified his wolf golds. I touched the side of his face and he closed his eyes, leaning into it with a growly sigh. Uzkielle gently grabbed the back of my head and pulled me forward into an affectionate headbutt. I drew strength from them. But the moment passed all to quickly as they both simultaneously slipped away, leaving a hollow feeling of loss instead of the lingering warmth I needed.

"Uzkielle," I forged ahead. If I thought about it too hard, I'd never be able to face the World Eater. "I need you to do something for me."

He tilted his head, curious.

"If this goes up in a trash fire I need to know our children are safe." I gave them a quick rundown of my conversation with Wolf. And I tried not to laugh as they both seemed equally surprised and impressed in my bold initiative to seek council with the Paya Slayer. Ha! If only they knew, but I would keep Wolf's secret. The dude was a legend for a reason. And I really didn't want to be on the receiving end of his ire.

After a somewhat convoluted tech lesson from Uz where I zoned out ten seconds in and received a head-slap for my trouble, Uzkielle programmed our comms to pick up the voice command codename: Black Angel. The comm would trigger the autopilot and send the Predator with our children safely aboard to Ghardeh. Any Yautja Wolf held in high enough regard that would take care of Danny and my kids, I trusted too. Now I just have to explain to Danny why he had to stay behind... peachy...

* * *

 **A/N: Many thanx to my friend V for allowing me to use his Yautja, Ghardeh the Black Angel, as a safe haven for Danny and the rest of the pack should the need arise ;D Quick rehash: So we have Zelda and her mate Orukia. Who actually have their own story I'm just not sure when I'll get around to finishing it. And then we have T'arik and Michael, who are officially one of my favorite pairings haha!**

 **sousie: Monster in-law! Haha! Only I think Eve is a touch worse. Thanx :D**

 **Tenfangirl: Lol! Hold onto your butt! XD**

 **DeathlyIceMaiden: Ain't that the dang truth! Preach it! Ugh, I felt guilty the entire time I was building her character :( Thanx for the review! :D**

 **angel897: Thank you, lovely :D**

 **equipagan: Haha! I so enjoyed creating the other pairs! Hope you liked them too! Eeee! I'm working out the World Eater battle right now! XD I'm so excited that you're excited! Thanx!**

 **TigrisRawr: Eve's got a lot of baggage. I tell ya, I felt horrible the entire time I was working on her character. Me big mean nasty writer giving her a shitty life :C Lol, thanx TigrisRawr!**

 **CrimsonClover26: Awe, thank you! :)**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: No prob! Thanx :)**

 **Moop: Eeer... um... huh? Kay? Not sure what you mean by disappointed *blinks slowly* Thanx for reading** **anyway :)**

* * *

 **Yautja terms:**

 **M-di: No**

 **Ki'cte, Dtoudi Shur'ie**

 **Sei'i: Yes**


	48. Chapter 48

**Defiance**

"Luau! If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat

Eat my buddy Pumbaa here because he is a treat!

Come on down and dine, on this tasty swine-"

"Danny!" Nina's voice roared over the com. Danny giggled. Swept away in the euphoria of the deja vu. Would Nina never learn that leaving him alone on the Predator with an open com was just _begging_ for trouble? But he wasn't alone. Not this time. Ry'kar stood next to him in front of the main console staring up at him in pained bewilderment.

Danny grinned at him, saw the young Yautja stiffen then realized Ry'kar must've taken his teeth-baring smile as a challenge. "My bad," he said. He made a zipper motion across his lips. Perplexed by his strange behavior Ry'kar merely cocked his head in confusion. Danny chuckled and made a mental note to set both his siblings down and explain a few things. But not now. Nina needed his eyes and the soothing sound of his voice to keep the troops' heads in the game.

"Should I sing something more actiony? Maybe hum the _Imperial March_?" he teased. Thanks to Uzkielle, not only did he have a link to the recording devices in everyone's masks but Danny also got to pilot three modified raptor drones supplied by Orukia. Butcher Birds, ZZ called them. And while he found the experience to be absolutely thrilling, he still wished to be on the ground taking out the bad guys and fighting side by side with Nina and his dads'. But grudgingly his sister actually made good sense.

Danny glanced at his baby sis, sitting in the piloting chair behind him and Ry'kar. He was the big brother now. If this went to shit, he had to protect them. Avamar, not paying them any attention, stared in absolute fascination at the paper unicorn Mikey had folded for her, turning it over and over in her small hands as if it held the secrets of the universe.

ZZ's tinkling wind chime laughter brought his attention back to the viewer. "Your brother is adorable," she simpered.

The combat drone hovering close by caught Nina's eye roll. "Don't encourage him."

Danny's grin returned full force. Too late.

"Are you achin?

Yup Yup Yup

For some bacon?

Yup Yup Yup..."

 **Nina**

"... be a big pig too! Oy!" There was a pause then Danny screeched, "Nina! Lobomon's giving me the finger!"

I rolled my eyes heavenward. Zelda's laughter escaped her lips in little snorts from behind her gorgeous mask, at least she was trying to be sympathetic. Eve, on the other hand, was steaming. Literally. A drizzle had followed in the wake of the dawn's light, and the moisture instantly evaporated off her skin.

"Now Avamar's doing it! Oi! Lobomon you should set a better example!"

 _Said the tone-deaf, idgit!_

My head dropped in mortification. None of this helped my thundering headache. Seriously, the Professor X thing was only cool in theory. And after tracking the queen's location via Pichu syncing my brain with the angry she-beasts, we'd touched down on a small string of islands somewhere off the coast of Panama. Eve had been right. The queen had settled herself in a secluded part of the world with only a tiny population in which to feed and multiply. 'Course the inhabitants of this island were mostly made up of tourists here to scale some big ass volcanic peak better known as the Window's Crossing.

A shiver caught me off guard, and my teeth chattered for a second. It was February. February! I still couldn't believe how much time had past.

Zelda tilted her head in question. She checked her wrist unit. A nearly skin thin, sleek black version of the one I wore but no way could it house the archetypal wrist blades. "It's sixty-one degrees Fahrenheit," she said. Her voice loaded with good humor at my expense.

"Wait till you've lived aboard a Yautja vessel for more than a month. After that anything below sixty-five requires a hoody."

"Delicate flower arentcha?" Michael chimed in over the com.

I snorted, "You bet your sweet ass."

Zelda dipped her head under a palm frond then suddenly jerked back, bumping into me with a silent curse. Orukia made questioning noise over the com, and Zelda silently said something to him, though what, I couldn't say because I had no idea what language she was even speaking.

I touched her shoulder and eyed the ground around her feet. Half buried in the sand was a kid's big yellow dump truck, but that's not why Zelda had paused. In the bed of the truck, there was a sand-crusted bloody handprint far to small to be an adult's.

"Hey, I don't speak Czech. What's going on?" Michael asked.

 _Czech?_ I found it both surprising and insanely cool that not only could Zelda speak Czech but that her mate could as well. And here my mates barely grasped English. Although to be fair, I never asked if they were fluent in anything else.

"We're in the right place," I murmured. Attempting to distance myself from thinking of the toy's owner, I briefly switched to thermal and took a good look around. The scattered bungalows and the resort's main building were less than half a klick through the thicket of palm trees but other than a couple stray heat sigs coming from machinery I couldn't detect a beat of life.

"Guys..." My protective momma bear instinct was working overtime. We barely knew each other, yet even though our bonds were tentative and new, they were strong. And I felt more connected to this pack than any family blood tie. "Don't forget these bitches won't show up on radar until we can get a scan of their blood. Danny your eyes are better than ours. You got anything?"

We'd split up the moment our feet hit the sand. Zelda, Eve, Bagheera, and I were headed straight for the queen's source of hosts and food. And somewhere out of sight, Wolf flanked us. Osh'ikeille, Uzkielle, and Orukia were already on the hunt for the nest, taking them deeper into the palms and further away from us while Michael and his mate T'arik scouted another potential nest site in the opposite direction closer to the beach.

I didn't like being spread so thin. 'Course we didn't have much choice without the strength of a clan to back us. All xenos apparently follow the same life cycle, however, the time between those cycles depends heavily on the phenotype. And their numbers also deepened on the humans and animals that had been or still were on the island. So we truly had no idea what we were up against yet. Though I doubt we'd have to wait much longer to find out. And in a fucked up way, we were lucky the queen chose a nesting site surrounded by water. If worst came to worst, the queen and her brood were in a relatively "contained" area. I used the term loosely though because those suckers can swim. But if it came down to it, we could just nuke the whole damn lot of 'em.

"Nah," Danny came back, sounding weirdly sedate. Had he seen the toy and the blood? Probably. I bit down hard on the maternal desire to tell him to send Avamar and Ry'kar out of the cockpit. Yautja children are not like human children. From birth, they are hunters. It's in their blood. Hell! Even our Yautja mates could not hide their excitement. Even now with the odds stacked so heavily against us, the moment we set foot on the island a thrill went through the pack. Win or lose, hunting a queen of this size would bring them great honor. And if we defeated her, we would be legends.

 _And hopefully earn some damn respect from the clans..._

I stepped over the toy and strode with determined steps behind Zelda as we cleared the palms. Eve brought up the rear, coming to stand beside us as we all stopped and stared at the island's visitor center. In the light of early dawn, the lively yellow and pink walls of the building were almost a welcoming sight. Almost. Without a trace of life, the broken windows and darkened rooms beyond gave the whole place an ominous feel. 'Course I already knew what had taken the tourists, so no amount of bright paint could cheer my mood.

"Michael, how's it looking on your end?"

I waited a beat. Nothing.

My brows furrowed, "Michael?"

Again nothing.

"Danny?"

"On it!" he said. There was an irritating pause. Why was there a pause? He had the feeds from all our cams tiled on the viewer. "Uuuuuh, Nina? Michael and T... Tooo-uricks feeds have gone dark."

An adrenalized jolt seemed to zing through the whole pack. "What do you mean they've gone dark?"

 _That shouldn't be possible!_

"I dunno! Maybe they- Nina look out!"

Distracted by my sudden worry while feverishly trying to get a lock on Michael and T'arik's SAT coms, I'd let my guard down. I never saw it coming. Never even heard the damn thing until it was right on top of us. There was a _snick, snick, snick,_ of sand as the Xenomorph launched itself into the air. It shrieked. My head came up, its glassy-white exoskeleton caught the light of the sun and blinded me.

Bagheera snarled. The Fury of the Storm built in my hands. A shadow fell over me. There was a heavy _thwap_. I had a glimpse of a dark green blur- Wolf! Wolf and the xeno hit the sand, rolled and twisted, the hunter lept off the thrashing alien to avoid the deadly strike of its tail. A painful glint of light stung my eyes, then a crack of lightning... only it wasn't. The xeno's slavering jaws yanked up, and it shrieked and clawed at its throat. I blinked. A wicked serrated whip was wrapped around the xeno's throat. Wolf jerked it like a leash, and the pale xeno thrashed and snarled. It pinwheeled on its side in the sand, turning on the Yautja. Wolf did something with his arm. Some unexplainable burst of movement. Silence. The xeno stilled. With a low scoffing chuff, Wolf cracked the whip again dislodging the caustic blood from its sharp teeth. And in the same instant, the xeno's head sluffed forward and fell, its body tumbling after it.

"Hoooooly shiiiit," Zelda breathed in an echo of my shock and awe.

 _Yeah, I could've totally done that!_

"...ina!"

"Huh?" I blinked. "Danny?"

"Nina! They're in the water!"

"What?" I turned back towards the beach, saw nothing. "What's in the water?"

"Mikey! Mikey's in the water! Those bug things ambushed him and dragged him under! T-t-taarik went in after 'em!"

An uproar of hisses and wailing shrieks came from everywhere. Surrounding us.

"Fuck!" I turned to Wolf.

"We got this," Eve said tightly. She stood back to back with her mate. A determined set to her shoulders and hands glowing orangy-red. There was a beauty to their stance, the way they barely touched, assuring one another. Wolf rumbled something the com didn't pick up but Eve's quick rub of her head against his shoulder vocalized so much more than words. He was _everything_ , to her and she to him.

"Zelda." I started back the way we came.

"I'm with you, babe."

"Bagheera," I motioned for him to go ahead of us since he was faster on four legs. Zelda and I shared a look of fierce camaraderie, and together we raced towards the rocky shoreline.

...

 _Why did the open channel fail?_ The question pinballed inside my head. Worried that there was some unforeseen glitch in the link up. I understood why the cam feed had failed as soon as Danny said Michael had been dragged into the ocean but why hadn't we heard the attack? Not a shout. Nor a roar. Nothing.

Deeply troubled, I barely managed to catch myself when I pivoted to sharply in the loose sand and almost went sprawling. Zelda glanced at me, turning away when I said nothing. The beach steadily grew rockier, the shoreline bending slightly with sheer cliffs. I spied a couple abandoned four-wheelers on a path winding up the steep side wondering if the riders had made a desperate rush for escape only to be cut off by the ocean. I swallowed, imagining their terror.

"Nina. Lobomon, Pakkun, and Orukia are rounding from the opposite side, but you'll beat them there."

My heart fluttered in relief. I did _not_ wanna go spelunking with those xenos. The vivid memory of the time a xeno came after me in our pool like a damn gator sent an involuntary shiver up my spine. Fuck. Now, I was even more desperate to get to Michael and T'arik. The Yautja are strong swimmers, but T'arik would have to fend off aliens who swam as well as serpents plus keep Michael from drowning. We all had slim canisters of emergency oxy, but it would only last a few minutes.

 _Craaaap! Why did I have to think that?!_

The mouth of the cave was in the water. Zelda and I had to leapfrog from one slime covered rock to the next in order to reach it. One of the Butcher Birds hovered near the entrance.

"...ina..."

We momentarily perched on a boulder the size of a dryer together. The roar of the rushing water as it broke over the rocks and echoed in the cavern made it difficult to hear anything else.

 _Is that how the xenos got the drop on them?_

On a human, most definitely but on a Yautja? T'arik would've known better. The dark brick red hunter wouldn't've survived as long as he has without being vigilant of his surroundings... maybe he got distracted?

 _Ugh! Just find them, Nina!_

"Danny," I raised my voice though I wasn't sure it did much good. "Come back? What was that?"

"Nina... I don't see T, anymore!"

 _T? Ah, he must've given up on trying to say T'arik's name._

We made it to a precarious pathway along the walls inside the cave and stopped. Uzkielle came over the com and instructed Danny on how to kill the feedback of the surf so he could at least hear us.

"You getting any readings off of thermal imaging?" Zelda asked.

I shook my head. "Either the waters depth and temp is throwing off the scans or they're not... wait a minute!" Walking further along the edge a faint blip pulsed in my left optic eye shield. "Damn it all to hell that's Michael!"

"How can you tell?" Zelda asked staring dubiously at my readouts as they synced to her unit.

I kicked off my boots. I hated the stupid things anyway, and they would only weigh me down. "Cuz my gut's telling me so!"

"Wait a sec," she held up a hand. "Danny send the Bird into the water and we'll- Nina!"

The ocean rushed over my head. My breath exploded from my lungs in a gasp as the cold seized me. Fighting the underwater current, ignoring the painful pins and needles of the severe cold, I swam straight down into the inky dark. Like the time in the swamp, the mask still worked fairly well under the water, and the heat sigs of little fish and a couple of biggies swam up and past me. It was a safe bet the cam feed was dead though. And seeing as no one was yelling in my ear, I was pretty sure I'd lost the com too.

The bio scanner had everyone tagged but gave me a warning "fuck you!" and threw up its hands in defeat when it tried searching for Michael. But I didn't need it. The thrashing thermal pulse of Michael's heat grew stronger. And there was another signature. Just beyond his, obscured by a pillar of rock. T'arik! I switched filters to night vision to compensate, and I saw Michael struggling with a great white serpentine alien.

 _Michael!_

The xeno shrieked, and even beneath the water, the bone-chilling sound brought back so many nightmares. T'arik had a grip on the xeno's tail, keeping it from plunging its deadly spear through his mate, while simultaneously fending off the attack of another.

Heart pounding, I fought down the instinct to unleash the storm. I've never called on it while submerged and with all this water, I couldn't risk hurting Michael and T'arik.

Michael flailed trying to keep a combistick between himself and the xeno, his back to the wall of the cavern below the surface. The alien lunged for him, raking its claws down his chest. Michael's breath released in a burst of bubbles and a muffled pained roar. I reached for him. Hesitated. The xeno opened its brilliant white maw. I didn't think. I just reacted. I wrapped myself around the xeno, forcing its head back. Michael took the opening and slammed a power-laden fist into the alien's throat. The power-punch glove hadn't penetrated the exoskeleton, but it wasn't meant to. The force behind it created an intense pressure wave that battered the alien's insides and shattered the vertebra in its neck. And the repercussion of that wave slammed through me, the residual energy rattling my bones.

I jerked my hands away, clutching my chest. Fuck that hurt! Thrashing behind me. T'arik had let go of the dead xeno's tail and was busy with the live one. Something grabbed me around the middle. Michael. He dragged me towards the surface.

 _What about T'arik!_

I mentally shrieked at him but stopped fighting when the ache in my lungs became unbearable. Oh, right. We're human. Duh!

We breached. I sucked in a frantic breath only to have it stolen as Uzkielle yanked me out of the water and crushed me to his powerful chest with a chastising snarl. I made an ugh-oof sound and wheezed a muffled, "Twaark!"

Uzkielle loosened his grip a touch. Just a touch. Enough that my nose was no longer in danger of being flattened. "T'arik!" I gasped then spluttered as the air hit my throat wrong.

On his knees, with Zelda hovering over him, Michael shook his head and made a cutting motion with his hand. "We'll only get in his way."

"But-"

T'arik suddenly leaped out of the water and landed next to Michael in a crouch, a growl deeper than any jungle cat rumbling in his chest as he examined his mates wound. It was a weirdly cute moment made more adorable by Michael who seemed strangely embarrassed by T'arik's close proximity. He tried shoving the overbearing Yautja away which only encouraged T'arik to continue his inspection in a more... hands-on kind of way.

"T'arik!" Michael scolded. Was he blushing?

I could sympathize with the poor man, but it was way too entertaining to watch. And I wasn't the only one who thought so. Zelda's bell-like giggles triggered mine.

"Michael," I said between sniggers. "I get why the cam feed went dead but why did you silence the com?" It was the only thing that made sense. I suppose there could've been a glitch but the timing was just too coincidental. Both cam and com had gone out at the exact same time with no rhyme or reason or even a shriek when the xenos attacked. My question sobered the group.

Michael's espresso dark eyes widened then fixed on an extremely interesting patch of algae. And all the blood in his body seemed to pool in his ears making them beat red.

 _What the... Oh.. my god!_

"Ooooh-uh," Zelda cooed. Apparently, she figured it out too. "A little midbattle nookie, huh?"

Mortified, Michael dropped his face into his hands. T'arik rumbled. Unabashed.

Zelda tsked, "Just couldn't resist sticking your fingers in the pie-" Orukia gave her a reprimanding tap on the back of the head.

"Hey!" I heard Danny shout through Uzkielle's com. "Virgin ears up here!"

Zelda and I roared with laughter. And Osh'ikeille chuffed at our idiocy in the middle of a hunt.

"...hate to break up the fun..." Eve's voice sounded strained and staticky coming through my com. "But things are getting- damn it!" She cut out.

"Eve?" When there was no response, I called out to my brother for his eyes.

"They're getting overrun, Nina," he said. "It's really dicey. The bugs are driving 'em towards the beach."

 _Shit. They'll be cut off!_

"We're coming, Eve," I shoved away from Uzkielle and he let me. "Just hold on!"

...

 **Danny**

"Where are they all comin' from?" Danny thought out loud. The problem with the bug aliens, or at least one of many, was that they could camouflage their heat signatures by altering their chemistry and adapting to the conditions of the environment. You had to have a blood sample for a bio or even pheromone scanners to pick them up. And they had neither of this type.

Fiddling with the controls, Danny sent a silent thank you to Lobomon for upgrading the system so that the English translation was written in the same red slashy script under the Yautja dialect. It would be really bad if he were attempting to run a deeper scan of the island only to accidentally fire the phase cannons... again.

Ry'kar stared up at the viewer, and Danny spared his brother a sidelong glance noticing that the kid's attention was focused on Nina's fuzzy feed. "It'll come back on in a minute," he said absently. "It's just gotta dry out a bit."

Ry'kar made a noncommittal noise.

"Fu- I mean fudge!" he growled. On top of his head, Pichu bounced and made a chirp that might've been the F-bomb he'd bit back.

"Wha-" Static. "-s Danny?" Nina asked curtly.

"Did you guys know that volcano's active?"

"Why does that matter?" Nina countered, the stress evident in her clipped tone.

"Because its nice and toasty underground."

"Son of a bitch," she muttered.

"Yup. And there's a huge chamber beneath the ocean floor right where Mikey got...uh... jumped." He heard a snicker that might've been ZZ as he peered closer at the 3D layers of the holo image. "I think the bugs are using the natural channels and pouring out of the vents like angry hornets."

"Lovely," ZZ intoned. "And we still have no idea how many there are."

"Um..." Danny blinked up at Eve's feed and winced. "A lot." The woman was breathing hard. Her thigh ripped open and bleeding.

"Not helping, Danny!" Nina growled.

"I can cast a small visual net using a combination of the Butcher Birds and all the fee- Eve!" Danny watched in horror as the woman fell. _Burnout,_ he thought, distraught seeing the Fury of the Dying Star forced to her knees. Oh, why couldn't their powers be infinite like the freaking movies?! A xeno circled her, its tail lashing. She bent her head, staring up at the slavering alien. A roar rang over the com as Wolf fought to get to her. Danny slammed his hands on the console, "Eve! Cook that moth-"

Lobomon materialized. Running full tilt he shoulder bashed the alien throwing it off its feet. Danny jumped up, "Yes!" Lobomon roared charging the alien again.

Nina was suddenly beside Eve, a hand on the downed woman's shoulder. "... we've got you," she said softly. Eve's head dropped, body shaking so hard it was visible on the vid. "Thank you..."

Nina stepped around and in front of Eve, and Danny felt an unbridled zing of excitement shoot through his limbs. The Butcher Birds feeds dominated the viewer. Bug aliens were literally crawling out of the ground. But in the middle of the all-out alien throw down to put all movie versions to shame, his sister calmly removed her bio mask and hooked it to her hip. She grabbed her combistick and released it from its collapsed form. An alien stopped midrun, turned and charged her with a shrieking hiss. Nina raised her chin, a feral sneer of determination on her face.

"You, mothers, are really-" The combistick crackled and came alive with electricity. "-getting on my nerves!" Nina spun the combistick, slammed the ground and an arc wave crashed into the alien. It screamed in agony and collapsed a second later, permanently neutralized.

Danny's heart pounded in his chest. He'd never witnessed anything so awesome in all his life. His sister kicked so much ass! He wasn't the only one watching Nina with interest, Avamar had joined him and Ry'kar at the console, her metallic ocean orbs enchanted by the huntress's deadly dance.

Danny's eyes surveyed the battleground. The Yautja created a wide semicircle around the humans, drawing the worst of the attack. Nina and Eve stayed close to Mikey and ZZ, the more vulnerable of the four of them, but no less amazing as they fought back to back.

Danny's eyes followed ZZ as she kicked off an aliens face and used the momentum of the thrashing creature to backflip and threw knives. They stuck. Danny was surprised by this given the aliens hard chitinous armor, and absolutely amazed when the knives went kaboom! and punched holes through its chest.

 _Hah! I knew she was a ninja!_

Mikey used some type of advanced looking chakrams. A weapon he only knew about because of Nina's obsession with Xena. The circular bladed weapons appeared to expand and contract at Mikey's whim, magic to Danny's eyes, though he knew better.

With Baymax, Ry'kar, and Avamar at his side, they watched over the pack. Danny even joined in the fight, piloting one the Butcher Birds, while switching on the auto-targeting system of the other two.

The ground was becoming a sizzling minefield beneath their feet as the aliens' blood spilled upon the earth. The midmorning sun pounded them, amplifying their exhaustion. And just when Danny suspected the grueling battle was beginning to wane, Avamar made a distressing sound, and Danny's eyes widened in shocked horror. "No.." the denial was barely audible. An agonized scream followed as a xeno bit down on ZZ's forearm and its barbed tail whipped across the front of her body. An answering roar boomed over the com and Orukia was suddenly there. Eve too. Eve laid hands on the alien, and it reared back and Orukia yanked ZZ away as the bug collapsed in the throes of a horrific death then lay still. Danny didn't have to ask what she did, he figured out. She'd boiled the pauk'n zabin alive in its shell.

Orukia leaned over ZZ, leaving himself completely exposed. Danny stared at Orukia's feed, heard ZZ whisper something to him in a different language then watched her grey eyes roll back behind the blood-streaked bio mask and went limp in his arms.

 _No no no no no!_

She wasn't dead! She couldn't be! Panick-stricken and with shaky hands, Danny hesitated. He didn't want to pull up her biotag on Orukia's unit only to find her really dead.

"Its okay, Danny," Nina said to him. Her voice strained but gentle as if she knew he was teetering on an edge. How had she known? "She's alive. Hurt. But alive."

Danny nodded. Realized she couldn't see it, and said, "Nina, stay..."

A huge jet of water sprayed up from the ocean behind them. They all turned. Tense but ready. A high pitched scream from the bowels of hell sent a wave of unease through the pack. Danny's heart lurched. He fisted his hands on the console, determined not to look away. Avamar grabbed his middle and Ry'kar's mandibles spread.

The pale hand of death reached out of the water, grabbed the cliffside and slowly the queen pulled herself out from the underwater channel. Water rushed through her majestic crown of sapphire horns as she lifted her head. Her seraph wings snapped out, relieving the translucent blue membrane of water. Despite the heavy fearful thud of his heart, Danny could not deny that this deadly being was in her own way beautiful.

The queen's eyeless head craned towards the pack. She opened her jaws and unleashed her furious death song. On the beach, the humans and the Yautja answered her wailing call with a blood song of their own, even Avamar and Ry'kar joined in and roared their defiance.

"...alive..."

* * *

 **A/N: Lol, I made Nina an Arcstrider ;D Only two more chapters peeps!**

 **Tenfangirl: Haha XD If you weren't at the edge of that seat before hopefully you are now! Thanx!**

 **angel897: Thanx, angel! :D**

 **Curlyshy123: Michael and T'arik are characters who play a bigger role in an upcoming story which I'll talk about more at the end of this one ;D Thanx for the love!**

 **KTCameleon: Ghardeh isn't like big momma... well, maybe a little bit. I'm betting this chapter was a bit bittersweet as well. Thanx for the love! And I apologize in advance, I'm sure this chapter has left you worried.**

 **Lowkeyofassguard: Ugh, I know. But no matter how I tried to wrap my head around it, I just couldn't get it to make sense any other way. It would've been sweet if she was able to get pregnant, but I just couldn't write it because I can't see how it would be possible :( Thanx for reading :)**

 **CieloDistante: Oh, my- HAHA! I was so thrilled to get your review! I missed you! I'm so happy you're still reading the story! Eve's a pain, but she's had a very tough life. I felt like a downright meanie-pants while writing out her history to get her behavior to make sense. No more Yautja/human pairs will appear in this story. Thanx so much CieloDistante! :D**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: No prob! Thanx! XD**

 **sousie: Me thinks so too ;) Thanx!**

 **Firestar: I'm pleased you love my characters so much. However, I can't tell you what becomes of them... Thanx for reading and the love! :)**

 **DarkSpiritDemon: Alas, there may not be much time for bonding, but I have yet to reveal all :) Thanx for the love!**


	49. Chapter 49

**Silence Fallen**

No pain is more profound than the loss of a loved one. The devastation leaves you staggering and breathless, your heart lanced by the blow skips a beat. Stops. And when Bagheera fell, fear stole through me like a sickness. Paralyzing. Numb.

"Bagheera!" I reached for him, even though he was several yards away. The Guadian meant to protect me when burnout left me weak and vulnerable had done just that. For Eve. With the presence of their queen, the drones attacked with renewed vigor and determination. Protecting an unconscious Zelda and a heavily wounded Michael from a voracious wave of xenos that had cut them off at the water's edge, boxing them right up against the queen, Eve had gone nuclear. Her fury so great, she vaporized the shrieking hordes of gnashing teeth within the blink of an eye; complete and total obliteration. Eve collapsed. Enraged at the loss of her children, the queen went for the unshielded humans. Bagheera entered the water and engaged her, the scorn in his roar making her hesitate. It only lasted a second, giving Orukia an opening to retrieve our friends. The queen shrieked in outrage, Bagheera faced down the enraged xeno queen three times the size of bloody T-rex, leaped for her. On all fours, she crouched, ducked her head and plunged the spear of her tail through his chest.

Mouth working, the whole world muted, I shouted his name over and over but heard nothing except the ringing in my head. The xenomorphs were relentless. Orukia and T'arik fiercely fought back the hungry aliens, protecting Michael, Zelda, and Eve who all lay on the ground. Fallen. Perhaps dead. I didn't know. But every time they killed one alien, two more took its place, and not even the Yautja are omnipotent.

Wolf and Uzkielle, their ferocity glorious and terrible attacked the queen together.

 _Uzkielle..._

Senses dulled by the shock, I stagger a step. Foul, hot breath fans the nape of my neck. Pain, wild bright and horrifying rakes my back, greys my visions and drops me to my knees. The xeno shrieks with glee. It walks a slow taunting path around me. Faces me. Its inner jaws open and close, spittle stringing from its fangs. A deep and thunderous roar. _Osh..._ He was suddenly there. The xeno's head whipped around with a shriek. Osh grabs it by the throat, rips it away from me. My head drops as I take a breath, but the blood-freezing sound of my mate's bellow of pain brings it back up.

 _No..._

My eyes widen. The xeno tears the barb of its tail out of Osh's thigh, forcing him down on one knee in front me. Two others have joined the first, Osh roars his fury and launches himself at them.

 _Get up!_

I'm on feet. Pulse slamming with adrenaline, I propel myself forward. If Osh could ignore the pain then so could I. One of the drones turned, grabbed for me. Using a small concentrated version of the One Thousand Birds strike, I drove my fist through its braincase, the electricity burning off the acid before it could harm me. The xeno dropped.

I jerked my head up. Looking for Osh.

"Osh-" The squelching wet crack of the xeno's tail impaling my mate penetrated my very soul. "NOOOOO!"

My mate would not be taken so easily and with a guttural snarl he tore the plasma caster from his shoulder rig shoved it in the alien's open maw and fired, blowing its head away in a magnificent spray of gore. Osh staggered, the dead xeno's tail still stuck in his chest. The other xeno launched itself at him. Osh stared it down, ready.

"Fuck off!" I screamed. The charge built in my shoulder when I smashed into the xeno sent it flying. I hadn't even been aware of my desperate flight until I hit the thing.

"Osh!" My knees sank into the sand beside his prone form. "Osh! Osh! Osh!" I grabbed his shoulder, and he forced himself to turn over since my yanking did nothing. His breath shuddered out in a low gut-wrenching groan. I unhooked his mask, tossed it aside.

Danny was screaming in my ear, but I barely heard him. Osh stared up at me, his incredible wolf golds gently chastizing as a river of pain streamed hot down my cheeks. "You idiot!" I laid shaking fingers on the wound so very very close to his heart and tried to be strong even when all I wanted to do was shatter. "Oi, I don't have duct tape this time," I scolded with a humorless chuckle.

Osh rumbled a laugh, coughed up blood, and I pulled him close. Osh grabbed my shoulder, slid his hand higher to touch the back of my neck. I sucked in a breath.

"Ek mi-di wei mo'wei-te wo Dtoudi Shur'ie. Pe m-di Pa'ya-te Thei-de..." he rumbled. The fingers at my neck sank into my hair and brought my forehead to his. The translation scrolled across the inside of my left eyeshield and my breath lodged in my throat as I read it: "Do not despair my Little Storm. Death before dishonor."

The hand in my hair lost its strength, I caught it. Osh went still. And I choked on a sob as I fought the unrelenting despair threatening to swallow me alive. "I love you too..." I disconnected from the feel of his warm body. Closed my eyes and laid his hand on his chest.

 _"Can I keep him, sis?" "Good guy, Neens... He's like Thor!" "My sister's single!"_

In the deepest pain I've ever been in, I wrapped the memories around me. Shielding myself. I knew what I had to do. But I was so fucking scared.

 _"Laugh, Nina. And what scares you will no longer have power..."_ My daddy's voice soothed.

Laughing. Crying. I stood.

 _Ry'kar, Avamar... I barely had a chance to get to know either of you, but I love you both._ My chest constricted. _Danny... I won't_ _get to see them grow up..._

I shook myself. No time for regret.

"Uzkeille! Go to Osh!" I barked the order. Heart pounding, I sprinted across the beach. "Wolf get to the others! Everybody..."

 **Danny**

"... stay out of the water!"

Watching his sister race for the ocean, Danny clutched his daddy's dog tags. Nina had given them to him before their departure. _"This isn't goodbye,"_ she'd said. _"They look better on you."_

Danny snorted. She'd always been such a bad liar.

Baymax made a gruff whine, ears flicking back as he stared at Pakkun. Danny refused to see his dad lying there. Refused to lose another parent. Knuckles white from the death grip on his dog tags, he sent up a silent prayer. Not caring who heard it, so long as somebody heard it.

Avamar clutched at his middle, making a forlorn whine up at him. He laid a reassuring hand on her head, his attention glued to his sister as she unexpectedly jumped on a four-wheeler.

 _What is she doing?_

Ry'kar leaned forward, and Danny thought he saw a trimmer of unease pass through the young Yautja, but he couldn't be certain. Ry'kar was a fairly closed off, only his sister seemed capable of cracking the thick skin he'd developed.

 _Nina..._

His eyes slid back to the viewer. Nina started up the steep incline. Danny frowned at this. A deep sense of foreboding stirring in his chest.

"Danny..." His sister called to him. The pain straining her voice opened a well of sorrow in his heart.

"I'm here, Nina," he soothed, rejecting the anxiety threatening to make his voice quiver. He had to be strong.

"Danny, promise me... promise me you'll take care of them!"

"Stop it, Nina! You're gonna be oka-"

"Danny!"

He stared at his sister as she flew up the path, and the foreboding turned into cold dread. "I promise!" he said. The tears fell. He couldn't hold them back. "I promise!"

The queen rose up on hind legs, saw Nina flying at her and shrieked. Nina hit the peak and launched herself off the cliff's crest, her spear in front of her, a battle song of love and loss in her throat. The queen flapped her wings, opened her jaws and swallowed his sister.

"Nina!"

The Butcher Birds picked up a high pitched feedback. The queen threw herself into the sheer rock of the cliff and screamed, tail whipping the ocean and sending up huge sprays of water and sand as she writhed. A light so brilliant it could be seen from space ruptured the queen's exoskeleton. The storm Nina unleashed was blinding, the cams couldn't compensate and the feeds went white.

Danny slammed his palms on the console, "Moooooom!"

* * *

 **A/N:... Silence Fallen...**


	50. Chapter 50

**Epilogue Star Date 2017.13.02 Leader of the Pack**

"Captain's log, Stardate 2017.13.02, it has been nine days since the death of Nina the White Storm at Mt. Wannaockaloogie-"

"Hey! Lord of the Ring Dings!" I boiled into the comm room, crossed my arms over my chest, and snapped out a hip. "Monologing is my thing! And why on earth do you keep talking as if I'm dead? It's freaking me out!"

Danny swiveled around, and I half expected to see a white cat in his lap and for him to say "I've been expecting you" in a nasally voice, instead he almost slipped out of the ridiculously big chair but recovered with an Uzkielle worthy haughty sniff. "Because you're a mom, N-I-N-A. Mom's are supposed to be boring, not do things like fly headfirst into the jaws of an alien! Even if you did look awesome doin' it- but that ain't the point! And quit laughing!"

I bit down on my lips. Uber serious Danny was just so damn cute. "Sooo-" A snigger escaped. Danny glowered. "-this is your idea of punishment?"

Danny's emerald green eyes sparkled in a way that had goose bumps marching across my arms and legs.

 _Craaaaaaap..._

"Gaaaaaah! Not you too!" I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Uzkielle's been downright unbearable to live with since he fished me out of the ocean." The electricity had created a barrier between my delicate skin and the World Eater's caustic insides. After I uh... cooked her and she blew apart, I'd lost consciousness. And it totally would've sucked having survived being eaten only to drown!

Danny stared without an ounce of sympathy.

I groaned, "Please be gentle." Somehow I managed not to burst into tears when Danny's frown curled up in a devilish grin. Danny pranks were always so embarrassing.

"I make no promises," he said with that arrogant cheeky grin of his.

"Whatever. Are you comin' or not? Everybody's waiting for us in the observation lounge, and I seriously don't wanna leave that lot unsupervised for too long."

Danny chuckled, "You mean Lobomon and Wolf?"

"Duh. Who else? The kehrite still looks like a couple of bloody raptors with rose bushes shoved up their asses got loose in there!"

Danny jumped off the chair and walked beside me through the corridor. "You and Eve aren't much better."

"Hey, I warned her about trying to drink a Louisianian under the table. She should've listened."

We shared a laugh then walked in comfortable silence. Baymax joined us, and I gave the mob boss lookin' werewolf dog loving scritches behind his ears. Which of course made me think of Bagheera, and I was briefly overcome with a wave of sadness. _Thank you..._ Without his sacrifice, the World Eater would've slaughtered our friends, who over the past couple of days have become apart of our family. Even Eve wept when she learned what he'd done to protect them.

 _Osh..._

I glanced at Pichu sleeping in Danny's hair. The poor little fluff ball has been beyond consoling for days.

 _Okay, yeah, fuck this depressing atmosphere._

"So, Danny, I've been thinking. Since today is your birthday," I gave him a playful nudge. "How about we go find that snow planet and watch the guys make some fugly-ass Yautja angels?"

Danny beamed, "That would be awesome! Do you think the pack will come?"

"Eh... er-um, I dunno." Okay, I was seriously having trouble imagining Eve doing anything remotely _fun_. But I could totally see Zelda and Michael badgering their mates into joining us. "You'll have to ask them."

The observation lounge had become our central hub and a bit of playroom much to my mates' annoyance. The Yautja did not do comfort and plush, but Danny and I had stolen the space and claimed it as our own. And after a few days with Zelda and Michael on board, it had been transformed once again into a family room.

The spherical room was mostly made up of windows giving us an unobstructed view of Earth. The family hub was warm and alive, and a bit on the noisy side as we walked in to find Zelda kicking Michael's ass in a Destiny private match. Don't ask me how Michael hacked the shit out of the ships system to get the game to function because that's beyond my pay grade. And weirdly, yet not so weirdly, it was Uz and Wolf making all the racket. I couldn't decide if they were getting riled up by the game or excited. Hard to tell at times, but I had a feeling they'd both need a timeout in a minute once the spirited roars turned to annoyed snarls.

Danny elbowed me, "We have such a cool family!"

I shook my head. "We have a seriously fucked up family," I said good-naturedly.

Danny grinned, and I laughed at his exuberance. I ran my fingers through his red locks, recently cut and washed (thank the gods!), Danny had decided to lose the dreads. He still wanted to be a hunter, but he also wanted to be his own kind of man. A decision I'm sure had absolutely _nothing_ to do with the comment Michael dropped about hiding such pretty hair. Danny idolized that man about as much as he did Osh and Uz.

Avamar materialized in front of us, her metallic ocean orbs sparkling as she stared up at the yellow fuzz ball on top of Danny's head. She adored Pichu, but Pichu was not in the cuddliest of moods.

"Maybe later, Ava," Danny said softly. She nodded, a bit crestfallen but just as excited to see her big brother. She grabbed his hand and excitedly dragged him towards Ry'kar who was watching the game with a look of profound bemusement. Baymax huffed and followed after Danny.

I found Orukia and T'arik standing off to the side of the rowdy bunch having some sort of deep conversation with Eve. Weird but then again Eve always looks serious. Even blind drunk, the woman had about as much personality as a slab of ice.

The feel of my mate's attentive gaze on me gave my pulse a little jump. My eyes came to rest on him, and the heat in his wolf golds made other parts of me jump too. Osh sat on the floor, his body propped up on a couple godawful and gaudy Yautja sized pillows courtesy of Zelda. As a wildlife photographer, her adventures have taken her all over the world but she'd developed a deep affection for India and brought a touch of that vibrant beauty into our home. The same way Michael brought laughter and life.

Mindful of my mate's still healing chest, I sank into the cushion beside him. He huffed impatiently, grabbed me, and pulled me flush against him, my chest pressing into his wound.

"Doesn't that hurt?" I teased.

He chuffed and went back to observing the madness.

Chuckling, I laid my head on his shoulder. The Yautja aren't so touchy-feeling, but I think after coming so close to death, Osh needed a little bit of that closeness humans thrive on. I shifted closer. I'd almost lost him. He'd been incredibly lucky. Hell, we'd all been incredibly lucky. Going into that war, I don't think any of us truly believed we were coming out of it alive. The Yautja and even their mates might've enjoyed the hunting aspect, but the act itself had been entirely selfless.

I stared at my pack and felt a sharp stab of loss at the thought of them moving on. I wanted to protect them. Needed too.

 _I have a seriously obsessive momma bear instinct. Can collecting loved ones be considered a compulsive disorder?_

"NINA!Nina!Nina!"

My head jerked up as Danny came flying at me. He dropped to his knees, and the momentum carried him the rest of the way until he was practically in my face.

"Do they really have to go? Can't we keep them?" he asked, breathless from the excitement.

 _What is he a mind reader?_

"Danny they have their own lives to return to."

"But the clans don't want us..." His face tightened as he said this, then suddenly exploded with the widest grin I've ever seen, "What if we make our own clan!"

"Danny, I..."

 _Huh, the kid has a point._

Osh and I exchanged a look.

"That's exactly what I was discussing with Orukia and T'arik," Eve said surprising the hell outta me. Not only because she'd appeared outta thin air but because she _agreed_ with Danny. She stooped next to my kid brother. "Our Yautja mates revere you as their matriarch. Because of our taboo lifestyle, there is no love lost between ourselves and the other clans and forming one of our own gives us an umbrella of protection against the backlash."

 _Damn. She made good sense._

"Not to mention, the clans won't protect Earth from other potential threats," Eve continued. "Eventually, the Kandari will discover our vulnerable little planet-"

"They already have," Zelda chimed in from the couch. I hadn't realized the wild hum of the room had quieted as we spoke. But I found every head turned our way, their gazes on intent on me.

Eve's brows furrowed slightly, "What do you mean?"

Zelda set down her controller, "I mean Orukai and I killed several Kandari slave traders several weeks before the World Eater attacked. It's how we met."

"Shit," Eve swore. Her perpetual scowl deepening. "This is not good."

"So we kick their asses then!" Danny jumped up, "All of us! We'll be the Guardians of the Galaxy!"

Danny's can-do attitude earned him a laugh from the humans, minus Eve, and rumbles from the exasperated Yautja.

Zelda stood up, wincing slightly from the pain in her ribs. "Come on then Star-Lord, show me your moves."

Danny bounced over to her, "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

"Danny!" I whined.

Zelda giggled, "Come on then." She held out her hand to him then gave me a puzzling wink. "You too hot stuff," she said to Michael. The three miscreants disappeared out of the room so fast, I suspected they planned this, whatever this was.

The door slid open, and Michael gave us a wave from the other side before disappearing again. When it didn't close, I realized Michael must've locked it in place.

 _The hell?_

The familiar hard keystrokes of Old Time Rock and Roll began to play, and I was already laughing my ass off even before Danny slid backward into the room like Tom Cruise in _Risky Business._ And yes, he was only in his tighty whities, socks, and TMNT shirt, posed with a nonexistent mic.

The beat came again and Zelda followed in her underwear, an adorable ensemble of Pikachu cotton panties and a sky blue bra.

The lively Dun, Dun, Dun, Dun, Dun, of the piano, came again and Micheal slid in beside the other two, showing off the most scrumptious ass in a pair of black boxer briefs. Gotta say, I totally understood why T'arik enjoyed hittin' that.

The three turned in unison just as the lyrics began to play.

"... Just take those old records off the shelf...

I'll sit and listen to 'em by myself

Today's music ain't got the same soul

I like that old time rock 'n' roll..."

The Yautja in the room stared in stark bemusement, unamused by the humans' antics, they rumbled in disapproval. I gave Osh's chest a chastizing poke and the rest of them a pointed glare of 'let them have their fun or I will eat you'.

And when Danny, Zelda, and Michael all suddenly threw themselves down on their knees striking their air guitars to the magic of:

"... Still like that old time rock 'n' roll

That kind of music just soothes the soul ooh

I reminisce about the days of old..."

Tears of pure delight from laughing so hard my guts hurt were streaming down my face...

 _A clan... heh, why not?..._

* * *

 **Please read me! Thank you, everyone! Thank you for all the favorites, follows, and the reviews! Thank you for sticking with this story even after I went dormant for a year! Now a sneak peek at the madness I'm cooking up! Danny's very own story! It takes place far into the future, so it'll be Danny as an adult (shivers). I know. Scary, right? This'll, of course, be a story of romance (a very very slow burn romance), humor, friendship, family, and adventure all wrapped up in a hysterical title:  Bad Blood Bromance... yeah, can you see where I'm going with this? Bet you guys can't, lol. ;) This'll likely be the most challenging story I've ever attempted to write, so I plan on taking my time with it. I rarely write from a males POV, so that in itself will be challenging, not to mention Danny's got a bit of a Star-Lord complex (Ugh! Kill me!). Also, this story will be separate from Nina's. Most of the original cast will be in it, but Danny is the main focus. So if you wanna read it, I'll be posting it at a later date under its own title. One more tidbit of information, and I know I'm about to burst a lot of bubbles here because I think some readers assumed Danny would end up with Avamar (sorry), but Danny is gay. Now let your imaginations run wild ;) **

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**sousie: Lol, hope you liked the sweet ending ;) Thanx for loving my story!**

 **DiamondDi: Haha, thanx :)**

 **Tenfangirl: ... Okay, that was a great review XD Thanx for the continuous love!**

 **thefightingbull: Aaaawe! You're so welcome! Thank you so much for reading it and loving it! I was filled with such pride reading your review! Heh, I'm still smiling! :D**

 **BubbaSue: Hope you enjoyed the sweet ending. Thank you :)**

 **KTCameleon: Haha, a bit more than a scratch ;D But it would take more than that to kill the lovechild of a Klingon and Cthulu! Haha! Thanx girl! :)**

 **SolusPrimeLightblast: Not dead ;D Thanx for the love throughout this story!**

 **Angel897: THanx so much, angel! Love you to bits! Thanx for the continuous love throughout this story! :)**

 **Third Destiny: Lol, hope you enjoyed the sweet ending ;D Thanx!**

 **Curlyshy123: Ah! Tears be gone! Lol, thanx for the love, Curlyshy :)**

 **Arbitrator11: Awe! No cry! Happy ending :D Thank you so much for reading my story and loving my characters! :)**

 **sempy: Gah! I wrote it while listening to The Grey on repeat and had a hard time finishing without crying! Thanx for the love!**

 **Firestar: Firestar, I heard you! Er, well I read your review and as soon as I was able to set the baby down I edited and posted ;) Thanx for loving my story and my characters!**


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